


Psyche

by poppicock



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fox Miraculous, Humor, It turns into sin after a bit of time, Light Angst, every time gabriel agreste gets punched, my hair is softer, my skin is cleaner, my soul is cleansed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-21
Updated: 2017-01-07
Packaged: 2018-08-16 10:52:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 27,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8099371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poppicock/pseuds/poppicock
Summary: If Hawkmoth is a hurricane, Nathalie Sancoeur is the eye that he surrounds.
A story that started with, one part, another part, and the next, and eventually ran away from its author.





	1. HawkNath 1 -4

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, I posted four hawknath 'one-shots' on my tumblr and the last installment left it at pretty nice ending, so here's all of that posted here, for your enjoyment.

Part 1:  _Nathalie wakes up in a dusty villian’s lair and she, as well as her dark-colored suit, are ill-prepared._

 

Nathalie, for what it’s worth, was a heavy sleeper. If she could sleep at her obnoxiously clinical desk at the mansion, she could sleep on a metal floor.

She didn’t prefer it, but then again, she didn’t prefer being kidnapped in the middle of an akuma attack. A majority of her work involved scheduling appointments and hoping Hawkmoth wouldn’t strike, or desperately rearranging appointments after the fact.

Sitting up, she grimaced at the dust on her jacket and trousers. The foils of wearing a dark purple suit. Glancing around, well, she knew she was in quite the predicament.

“Can I help you up?” His voice was cool, echoing through the spacious…attic? Abandoned church? Pathetic attempt at an evil lair?

Nathalie didn’t look at the villain, she knew who he was. She held her hand out, expecting his hand to take hers and pull her up to her feet

Which he did, her hand was dwarfed by his own, large hands that were covered in what could best be described as black leather.

When she was perpendicular to the ground she dusted herself off, and patted her pockets. “Where. Is. My. Phone.” She turned to finally face him, keeping her expressions stoic.

His eyebrows quirked under the silver mask, and if she wasn’t mistaken, he was trying his best not to smile. “I believe my akuma left your phone behind.”

Right. Sleeping Beauty. Akuma attack. Things that occur weekly in Paris.

“Fantastic.” She glanced out the window. A slew of gray clouds formed over the sky, as briers twisted up from the ground, curling around buildings like demonic claws. She crossed her arms, and pushed her shoulders back.

Hawkmoth chuckled, his hand gripped around the head of his cane. “Isn’t this better than being in a magically-induced coma?”

Nathalie blinked. She went through several small bouts of irritation. Scoffing, she flipped her hair over her shoulder, “What? Being here with you?”

Hawkmoth glanced away, “You don’t have to be so callous, Ms. Sancoeur.”

“I have zero sympathy for the man who kidnapped me.”

“That’s—” He stopped himself, “That’s fair. You don’t have to like me if you’d prefer not to.”

Her eye’s widened. She had previously been facing away from him, but for this she turned back to look at him, his front slightly illuminated from the little light that drifted inside. “Do you,” her voice was above a whisper, but there was no mistaking the complete horror, “—Are you infatuated by me?”

Hawkmoth took a step closer to her, but was genuinely surprised when she didn’t move away. They still stood roughly six meters apart. “It’s not infatuation, Ms. Sancoeur.”

When he didn’t elaborate further, Nathalie frowned, and pushed her glasses further up her nose. “Then why am I here, Hawkmoth?”

“You’re not heartless.” He admitted, “You have emotions, faint, small, weak emotions, but they’re definitely there. Is it alright if I call you Nathalie?” The man asked her suddenly, his voice enthralled.

Deadpanning, she replied, “Does it matter?”

His smile was slight, and his pale blue eyes were familiar (as though she saw them in a faraway dream). “I wouldn’t want to disrespect you,” Hawkmoth assured the woman, scrunching his shoulders together and releasing. When she rolled her eyes and responded that it was fine, he continued. “I can’t stand other people’s emotions. It drives me up a wall, to be frank. You’re emotions, though present and faint, are not entirely unpleasant. I…I’m drawn to you.”

“Do I know you?”

“Nathalie Sancoeur? Reputed to be one of the most well-connected woman in all of Paris, if not the world?” He joked, “It would be more unlikely if you didn’t know me.”

She realized that, during his entire speech, he had inched closer and closer. Hawkmoth had a way with words, like she had a way with eyeliner, powder, and hair dye. The woman uncrossed her arms and felt her hands relax at her side, if only for a momentl.

_Perfect._

He took that as an invitation to pull even closer to her. Puzzled, but as ‘drawn’ to her as he had claimed.

She tilted her head to the side, allowing herself to shoot him a coy smile. Perhaps he was an idiot, perhaps he knew what she was about to do.

_Keep your thumb out, you’re going to break your hand anyway, but at least it won’t be in bad form._

He dodged the fist that swung out at him, which she threw her entire weight behind. It wasn’t a matter of her losing her balance—Hawkmoth was a head or two taller than her—he ducked under her, and she stumbled back, recoiling away from the villain.

When he wrapped his arms around her waist, catching her before she fell, Nathalie knew that it was by pure instinct. Still, there was warmth behind his touch.

Suddenly, she felt something she had never felt before. Nathalie couldn’t quite place it in the tenth of a second that he held her, and she was a mask of confusion. Her head turned back to him, trying to comprehend herself. In her idiocy, her nose brushed his, and she felt her cheeks warm.

“Unbridled rage.” Hawkmoth commented, setting her straight and taking a step back, “I thought I preferred you without emotions, Ms. Heartless. I stand corrected.”

Nathalie took a step from him, and he took another step closer, matching the distance. Well. That’s was what being angry felt like.

“You’re the best kind of fire, Nathalie.” He murmured, taking her in with assessing blue eyes.

 

* * *

 

 

Part 2:  _Nathalie comes home late one night to find a certain supervillain in her apartment._

 

Nathalie turned the key over, unlocking her apartment door and pushing herself through the entry. She shot the villain a defeated, annoyed look. Shutting the door, she made sure to lock it behind her. Thankfully, the maniac in love with her had already drawn the curtains.

“Do you insist on breaking into my apartment?”

“Well, it _is_ technically the weekend.” Hawkmoth admitted, standing near her dining room table. He glanced around him, taking note of the bookshelves around him. “I wasn’t aware that you were bookish, by the way.”

Her eyes narrowed, she leaned against the door, “ Don’t change the subject. Why are you here, Hawkmoth?”

He gave her a small, knowing smile. “I brushed over you during Blastphemy. It didn’t seem like you were having a particularly good day.”

Nathalie rolled her eyes, pushed off the door, and turned right, heading into the kitchen to wash the dishes she used for breakfast that morning. It was the witching hour, and fashion week typically forced her to work late, but Gabriel had been particularly trying. The day had taken everything out of her, and left her with an irrational need to clean everything around her, which translated to ‘the dishes, the only dirty thing in your apartment.’

Following her into the kitchen, he glanced around. “Would you like to talk about it?”

She shed her jacket, and held it behind her. When she felt him take the jacket and hang it on a hook behind him, she rolled up the sleeves of her button up, blood-red blouse, and ran the water. “I’d like you to not analyze my emotions without my permission.”

“You’re deflecting.” He commented, “And I can’t help it, Nathalie Sancoeur.”

_Just wash this dish,_ she ordered herself. “Well, I’m fine, so you don’t—”

Hawkmoth, who never interrupted her before, cut her off, “I wouldn’t come over here and bother you if you were ‘fine’, Nathalie. Talk to me about it, please.”

The kitchen was spacious enough, the island of countertop that the sink resided in didn’t exactly provide defensive cover. Hawkmoth sat across from her, leaning his cane against the counter. “I could do those dishes, if you’d like.” His voice was soft.

Staring into his stupid, _not handsome face_ , Nathalie bit back, “If I step away from this sink, I will call the police.”

“I know it’s about your boss, Nathalie.” He remarked, “I know your position. You can’t exactly complain about Gabriel Agreste to just anyone. It could end up in a newspaper, or it could get back to him in someone’s feeble attempt to advance their position.”

“What makes you think I’ll talk about it with you, then?” She replied, shutting off the water. The dishes were done, and now she’d have to find something else to do, other than stand still and speak to him. “What have you done to prove that I can trust you? You’ve kidnapped me and broken into my home.”

Hawkmoth grimaced, staring down at the black granite countertops, “You can talk to me because I won’t tell Gabriel Agreste.”

A thought nagged at her mind, but if she wanted to confirm her suspicions, she’d have to let him in.

“Fine. Do you want a glass of wine?” She asked him, “Or espresso? I know it’s late.”

“I’m a night owl.” Hawkmoth told her quickly. “Espresso would be great.”  

_Stays up late._

_Espresso Macchiato._

She led him out of her kitchen, to a small suede loveseat that overlooked ceiling-to-floor windows. When he sat down, she shut off the lights, and opened the curtains.

Nathalie wordlessly joined the man, sipping her glass of wine tentatively.

“What did he do?” Hawkmoth inquired, setting the cup and plate on one knee. He wasn’t sure about what to do with his arms, as there was only so much from on the couch for the two of them.

Nathalie crossed her legs, and he moved one of his hands, brushing her thigh slightly. “He was Gabriel Agreste. That’s all. Fashion week is stressful every year.”

“Is that right?” He’s voice was tickled with amusement, “And Gabriel Agreste in general brings you to the verge of tears?”

She began to pluck bobby pins from her hair, running her fingers through it, she glanced over to him, satisfied with the effect she had created, the mood she had set. “Was I on the verge of tears during the Blastphemy attack?”

Hawkmoth’s eye’s widened, and he cleared his throat, picking up his cup and taking a small sip, “Not exactly, but you were at your wit’s end at the time. I’m sure my akuma attack didn’t help the situation.”

“I find that my wits are limitless, sir.” She smirked, clinking her glass to his.

_Linger your hand, blink more, stare into his eyes._

He was frozen at her honoric, his breath short as he absorbed her. Her humor, her face outlined by the city lights below him, the sparkle in her eyes.

“And yes, ‘Blastphemy’ didn’t help my state of mind,” She broke the silence, pulling away from him and finishing her glass of wine, “though acknowledging that you added to my stress this week isn’t the same as an apology.”

Hawkmoth raised his eyebrows at her, as she set her glass down on the end table. “I’m not one to apologize for actions I don’t regret, or feel sorry for.” His hand, to recap, was brushed against the side of her thigh. He must have felt the warmth emanating from the recesses of her mind, as his hand slowly moved up to her knee, circling fingers in her inner thigh.

Nathalie shrugged, and dramatically tossed back her head, stretching her neck towards, “Well I’m not the type to beg, either.”

He was petrified, unsure of what to do, until she moved her hair out of the way. When his lips brushed her neck, then the curve of her jaw, then her ear, she turned back towards him, perfectly willing to meet him halfway.

When she saw Gabriel at work the next day, she took in the slight flush that fell over him, and she knew her suspicious were correct. Satisfied, but certainly distracted, she got to work. Fire, indeed.

 

* * *

 

 

Part 3:  _Getting trapped in a hedge maze isn’t the best way to spend an afternoon._  

 

He slipped into her bed, well past midnight, and curled an arm around her bare waist. “Did you do something different? I can’t see a thing.”

Nathalie grumbled, not turning to greet him, “Blackout curtains. I figure sleeping in a full suit and mask is uncomfortable, and you typically leave before I wake up anyway.”

“You’re telling me if I dropped transformation,” Hawkmoth didn’t mask the shock, “you wouldn’t turn on the lights and figure me out?”

She shook her head, turning around and burying her face into his chest, “At this point, I’d be arrested. Even if I discovered your identity, it would be safe with me.”

She wasn’t sure if she was lying or not.

Hawkmoth tensed for a moment, and pulled away from her, getting out of bed and putting on a stern tone, “Turn around.”

Nathalie flipped over, suddenly petrified that it was Gabriel Agreste. She watched the purple light descend over the room and fade out. She heard him undress, and when she felt the weight of her mattress shift, his bare back pressed into hers, and he smoothed out her hair.

“Do you still…” _This is too much,_ “Do you still sense emotions outside the costume?”

“I do.” He murmured, his voice entirely different, yet completely recognizable. “Are you comfortable? I’m pretty sure you’re useless without your glasses, so if you’d like to roll back over, feel free.”

She did, and her head was soon resting on his chest. And she was comfortable, for a moment.

He chuckled, “You know I can still sense _your_ emotions, Nathalie.”

Her hand drew circles across his belly, and she retorted, “So?”

“So I know what you’re feeling right now.”

She hummed, “Are you sure you’re not projecting?”

“That’s—” He closed his mouth, “That might be the case here. You’re very soft, you know.”

Her eyes darted up, catching the (albeit, faint) top of his jaw and the curve of his smile. Nathalie inched up, and the man tensed, “Are you terrified, Hawkmoth?”

The scowl was heard in his words, “I have every right to be. I’m at your mercy, you could easily turn over, flip on your lamp, and ruin my life.”

“Is that right?” Nathalie murmured, taking his ear between her teeth, “You’ve already ruined my life.”

He smiled, and she inched forward, her lips brushing his stubbly cheeks.

 XXX

Sometimes, when it was late at night, and he was asleep, she would quietly wonder if she would be enough. His motives were obvious, his goals clearly spelled out in an obvious portrait behind his desk and photographs still on his desk.

You don’t need a miraculous to take down what amounts to a lonely, lonely man.

She got out of bed, hoping not to disturb the man as she padded into her kitchen, shrugging on a robe. Nathalie had left the bottle out, and now, she was pouring herself another glass of wine.

 XXX

When Nathalie presented Gabriel with a tray of coffee and pastry the next morning, things were normal, until she cleared her throat.

“Sir, I’ve have several appointments over the next few weeks, so I’ll be out of the office a bit more.” She spoke slowly, “I assure you, everything will be handled well in advance.”

He furrowed his eyebrows, “Is everything alright?”

“Of course, sir.” When his eyes flickered down to her stomach and back up to her face, she raised her eyebrows, “I’m not pregnant, if you’re that curious.”

Gabriel didn’t conceal the relief as well as she would’ve liked. “That’s not what I had guessed.”

She sighed, allowing herself to shoot him a glare, “If you must know, I’m taking a few self-defense classes.”

That got a reaction out of the man, “Is that right? Aren’t you typically surrounded by my security detail?”

Nathalie straightened several pieces of paper on his desk. “It’s irrelevant. My apartment was broken into a few weeks ago, and thankfully I was at the office at the time, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen again.”

“You didn’t tell me.” He scrutinized her

“It wasn’t a situation worth mentioning.” Nathalie answered, “Nothing was stolen, just misplaced.”

Gabriel took in a breath, “Send me the schedule. I’ll have an intern cover your desk.”

 XXX

Several weeks later, while Nathalie was standing in the dining room of the Agreste Mansion, a strange, green light overtook them all, encasing them. Gabriel grabbed her shoulder, “We should—”

Suddenly, the mansion was wiped away, and a they seemed to be standing in the middle of a hedge maze.

“Where—” She pulled away from him, “What. Happened.”

Gabriel clicked his tongue. “It must be an akuma.”

Nathalie rolled her shoulders, because it was better than rolling her eyes. “I left my tablet on the table.”

“That would’ve been helpful.” He agreed, glanced up at the bright, nighttime sky. “So much for those self-defense classes.”

Tensing, she pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her nose, she clucked her tongue and glanced at the top of the hedges. “I need a leg up. If I stand on your shoulders, I’m sure I can find the exit quickly enough.”

He glanced back at her, “I hardly think that’s appropriate.”

“If you can’t lift 45 kilos, that’s—”

“You know perfectly well that I can lift 45 kilos.” He scowled, then blanched, when he realized that he was playing right into her manicured hands.

That was true, she had seen him carry bolts of leather when he witnessed interns struggling under the weight. Nathalie looked down the long stretch of hedge. She knew he would sense the smirk, “Well, if you’d rather spend the rest of your afternoon with me in a hedge maze than actually _work_ on an escape plan, be my guest.”

Gabriel sighed, “Fine.”

She slipped off her heels, that provided a thin barrier between his hands. His hands were typically electric against her skin, the rough pads of his fingers (years of pins and needles), the softness of his palms pressed into the arch of her foot

“Did I tell you that I was a gymnast in my youth?” He asked her, her hands gripping his shoulders. Gabriel was desperate to diffuse the tension between them. “Just jump up, keep balanced, I’ll catch you regardless, alright?”

Nathalie nodded, looking up at the top of the hedge. “Got it. On three, on your count.”

When he counted, she pressed her weight on the foot he held, and placed the other on his shoulder. Thankfully, he was around 2 meters tall, and she was roughly one and a half.

Hoping to get a grip at the top of the hedge, she was quite surprised when the hedge darted above her head, growing at a rate so exponential that she let out a small yelp, and lost her nerve.

He caught her, one hand under the crook of her knees, the other pressed against her back. She was so panicked, that she practically stumbled when he set her on her feet.

His hands were on her again, steadying her. “Nathalie. Everything’s going to be—what are you doing?” The man’s voice hitched slightly.

‘What she had been doing’ was undoing her bun, pulling out the red bobby pins that matched her dyed hair. “If we’re going to try to get out of this maze, we should leave a trail. Don’t you keep a notions box on you at all times? We’re going to need that.”

“Or we could wait here.” Gabriel disagreed with her, obviously, a devious glint in his eyes, “I heard that one is supposed to stay put if they’re lost.”

Nathalie inched towards him, “We’re not exactly lost in the middle of a forest,” She pointed out. “And it seems like it’s just the two of us here.”

He took a small step away from her, “You’re suggesting that we try to find our way out?”

She rolled her eyes, “You can stay here, Gabriel Agreste. I intend to find the exit.”

“It might not be safe.”

“I can protect myself.”

“Forgive me if I doubt you.” He replied, quickly. His eye’s widened when he realized that he drifted into her personal bubble. Gabriel cleared his throat, trying to keep all of himself under control. If he moved, he’d be forced to acknowledge that he had been standing too close.

Nathalie tilted her head to the side, “Then I’m thankful I won’t have to waste time trying to protect you, then. Have a lovely afternoon, sir.”

She turned, not bothering to bid him farewell before turning a corner.

Ideally, she wouldn’t run into Hawkmoth in the middle of a hedge maze.

Ideally.

She rounded a corner, and he stood, smirking at her. “Haven’t you figured out that it’s an endless maze? You’re not getting out until the akuma is defeated.”

Scowling, she felt her rage surfacing.

His smile dropped, “Nathalie—”

“You’re sloppy.” She glared at him.

_That_ puzzled him. “How so?”

Nathalie sucked in a breath, but there were only two paths before her, one was a dead end, and the other was him. She answered, “Never mind, Hawkmoth.”

When she passed him, he reached out for her shoulder, and she twisted back with a curled fist, and he threw out his forearm in an attempt to block her. The woman ducked, _obviously,_ and her other hand hit him squarely in the stomach.

“Don’t. Touch. Me.” She growled at the man, slightly hunched over. “Unless you have a solution—I’m not interested.”

“Nathalie—”

“If I’ve only seen you and Gabriel Agreste in this labyrinth,” She found herself snapping, “it’s fairly easy to put two and two together. I suggest you leave me alone before I make a formal accusation, _Hawkmoth_.”

His eye’s widened, and she willed herself to let go of her emotions. The storm in her mind increased in size and power, causing the man to wince, “Nathalie! Wait! I can expl—”

“I don’t want to hear it.” She snapped back, turning a corner, and heading down another corner.

_Your emotions will give you away regardless, you might as well let the world burn._

There was a moment when she fought the tears that sprang to her eyes, but that moment was fleeting as she felt herself deconstruct from the inside-out. She shed her glasses, placing them in a jacket pocket as she pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to keep her breathing in check.

Nathalie crumpled. There was no other way to describe it. She barely registered what occurred after that, entirely too exhausted to register her surroundings.

 

* * *

  


 

Part 4:  _Nathalie and Gabriel, post-reveal_.

 

When she came to, she was in her own bed, wearing the blouse she had worn to work that day. Her shoes were gone, and her pants were no where to be found.

Sitting up, she glanced over at her nightstand, pulling her glasses off the table, and spying the envelope below the frames.

It was well past noon, but Nathalie couldn’t be bothered about it, despite the fact that it was a work day. Her fingers curled around the letter as she stepped to her bedroom door. Opening it, she revealed her empty apartment.

Grimacing, she pried open the crisp envelope. Sitting on her bed, she glanced at the check, written from Gabriel’s personal accounts, worth about five year’s of her salary. Rolling her eyes, she glanced over the letter.

_Nathalie,_

_I informed HR that you would be out of the office for the next week, due to a ‘family emergency’ (I said that your mother was sick). A week should be enough time to change your name and disappear, if that’s what you wish. No harm will come to you. Should you choose to remain in Paris, I hope to see you at the office on Tuesday._

_Sincerely,_

_Gabriel_

She pulled her phone off the nightstand (conveniently charging), and glanced over her e-mails. Nathalie read the letter again as she got dressed, opting for a university sweater and the softest slacks in her closet. A message came in from Adrien, who was wishing her well.

He was a good kid.

There was a thought about taking him and running.

That thought was quickly cast aside.

She checked her boss’s schedule, and waiting for his scheduled meeting to end before dialing him.

“Nathalie.” His voice was dropped, “What is it?”

“You’re free for the next two hours?”

Gabriel didn’t speak for a moment, he shuffled several papers around, “I am.”

Nathalie sighed, “Well, we should talk, I expect you here on the half-hour.”

He let out an indignant huff, “That’s not—”

“Do you think you’re in a position to disagree with benign requests?” She cut him off. “You’re in checkmate, Gabriel.”

“Nathalie, please be reasonable.” His voice had taken on the soft ton he often used as Hawkmoth. The soothing voice that could lull her to sleep. “We can work something out, can’t we?”

She frowned, and made sure that he could feel it from his spacious office at the headquarters. “We _can_ work something out. Come. Over.”

“Can’t it wait until the end of the business day?”

“It can’t.” The woman insisted, inspected the dirt under her fingernails.

 XXX

When he knocked on her apartment door twenty minutes later, and she ushered him inside, he was surprised by the warmth just below the surface of her powdered skin.

Nathalie was upon him as soon as they made it into the living room. Gabriel froze at her touch, electrified by her fingers dancing over the well-tailored fabric. She freed one pink button on his vest, then another, and the next.

“I thought you wanted you talk.” He managed to say, not sounded as irritated as he had hoped. The man knew where she was headed. Her intentions showed themselves in the way she swayed her hips, the crooked smirk across her face, and the  deliberate pressure in her fingertips.

Nathalie’s eyes flashed over his for a moment, “Are you really going to chide me for lying, Gabriel? Is that what you’re going to do with your life? Complain when pretty women want you after discovering your terroristic tendencies?”

Anger flashed across his face, but she loosened his scarf, and he slipped back into the hunger he felt whenever she was near. “It can’t be that simple.”

“I’ll go over my demands when you’re in a more amicable mood.” She admitted, standing on the balls of her feet to kiss him on the cheek. His hands went to her waist, supporting her gently.

Confusion, “More amic—” Realization, “Is that your plan? You know me well enough to know—” She briefly pressed her lips into his, stopping him short. “ _I’m impatient_.” He grumbled, forcing out a breath.

She dropped back down, a devilish smirk across her face, her emotions clear as day, to the point where Gabriel forced himself to roll his eyes. He didn’t truly mean it.

Her hand brushed his neck as stole the scarf hanging around his neck, the silk sliding off his skin. She turned, and advanced towards the bedroom.

 XXX

He was humming, satisfied beyond his years, when she returned from a shower, her hair hanging behind her in drippy strands.

His eyes shut, and his fingers interlocked behind his head, he asked her in an exaggerated ‘amicable’ tone, “So, Miss Heartless, please, tell me your demands. Do you want me to come over more often? A raise? My stock portfolio? I’m _all_ ears.”

Nathalie sat at the edge of the bed, and there was a slight bite to her words, “You’re going to stop being Hawkmoth, Gabriel. That’s all I ask.”

Gabriel snapped up, sitting and turning to stare at her. It was as though his lover had grown a second head. “I thought _you_ of all people would—”

“You thought wrong.”

He clambered over to her, appearing behind her and massaging her shoulders, “My wife and I had a rocky marriage,” he soothed, “I’m not doing this for me, I’m doing this for Adrien. I wouldn’t—”

She had to stop the devil in his tracks. Nathalie got off the bed, turning back to him, “This isn’t a matter that’s up for discussion. I will tell Adrien everything if there’s another akuma in this city.”

The man clicked his tongue.

“I want your miraculous, as well.” Nathalie added, “To be safe.”

Gabriel, though his expression remained unmoved, “Absolutely not, Nathalie.”

Her eyes blinked rapidly, her tone was no longer demanding. For someone reputed to be heartless, Nathalie was soft.  “Gabriel. You don’t understand. There are entire e-mail chains dedicated to meetings you missed. With timestamps. Every employee who has interacted with you can recall a time where you were nowhere to be found, or you cut a meeting short prematurely. Everything is archived and dated.”

“That’s not enough evidence to convict anyone.” He replied matter-of-factly.

Nathalie’s shoulder’s dropped. “It would be a strong case _regardless_. What life would you live if you were acquitted? You can’t keep the miraculous on you, under no circumstances.”

“How do I know I can trust you?”

One of her eyebrows perched up, “You pursued me, Gabriel.”

“Well you—”

“If you find a reason to blame me for your initial advances during Sleeping Beauty, I will punch you.” Miss Heartless told him, matter-of-factly. “Hand over your miraculous.”

“What do I get in return?” He stood, towering over her, his hands running up and down her forearms.

His tone had taken on the devilish tone he had used before, sending shivers down her entire being.

Nathalie swallowed. _Don’t lose your nerve, now._ “Me.”

“You?”

_I am enough, I am enough, I am enough._

“Is that a problem?” She asked, her tone neutral, “I’ll stay by your side in exchange for your miraculous, Gabriel. I can’t promise that it’ll be easy, but I can promise that I won’t leave you.

You don’t need a miraculous to take down what amounts to a lonely, lonely man.

The man paused, and exhaled, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that you were offering me your heart.” Gabriel gave her a contented smile when she blanched, visibly flustered, and gave an eventual nod. “It’s a deal,” He told her, his voice hardly above a whisper.

When he pressed the butterfly pin into her hands and pressed a kiss to her forehead, she distinctly wondered if this was a victory, or a distinct lack of judgement on her part.

 


	2. HawkNath 5 - 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parts 5, 6, and 7

#  **PART 5:**

SIGH, _Summary: Nathalie moves in to the Agreste mansion, and gets rid of the Butterfly miraculous_

 

Nathalie wasn’t above carrying her own suitcases up the stairs of the Agreste mansion.

That is, until she realized _just how many stairs there were to Gabriel’s private wing._

“You said we didn’t have to pay movers, Nathalie.” He reminded her for the umpteenth time, trailing behind her with the footfall of a cat.

For what it was worth, Gabriel was carrying three suitcases, as well as a garment bag.

She frowned, “And I stand by my statement.”

“You’re being stubborn.”

Nathalie hopped up to the last stepped, and turned, glancing down at him, “I don’t know where your bedroom is, you know.”

He shot a look, a look she knew well. Gabriel looked at her like she was the most stunning woman in the world. Her shoulders relaxed, “Gabriel.”

The man flushed, and ascended, passing her. “The last door on the right. I figured, for now, you could take one of the guest rooms.”

“Seems counter-intuitive.” She muttered, passing him, and setting a black, hard-cover case on the carpet. Nathalie turned the door open. _The only reason I’m moving in is because you keep coming over._

Gabriel followed her in, “Space is an important part of any relationship, Nat.”

Snorting, she glanced around the room, satisfied with the overall design of the room, shades of red and gray. “I suppose.”

He set the bags down, and strode towards her, and he massaged her shoulders. “This isn’t so bad?”

“It isn’t.” She admitted, “Why? What are you empathizing?”

“Anxiety.”

She turned back, her arms twining around his neck, “Isn’t moving in your girlfriend terrifying, Gabriel?”

The man shot her a crooked smile, “Slightly, I’ll admit. Moving isn’t so bad. Organizing boxes and unpacking is enjoyable even. It’s just…” His voice trailed off.

“We’re telling Adrien over dinner.” Nathalie completed the sentence.

 XXX

Nathalie stood on the roof of the Gabriel headquarters, glaring at her phone, which was turned off. He wouldn’t track her location, but it wasn’t worth the risk.

She palmed the small box in her pea coat.

 _You can’t keep the miraculous in the mansion,_ she reaffirmed, _it was dangerous enough leaving it in the apartment._

The woman trusted her partner, but he was most likely rifling through every box. When he glanced at her (when he thought she wasn’t looking), she knew he was wondering if she had it on her person. Gabriel was making slow, small steps in a positive direction, at least.

“Ms. Sancoeur.” It was her voice.

She turned. “Ladybug, Chat Noir, a pleasure.”

Hawkmoth hadn’t put an akuma out in four months. The city was walking on eggshells, anticipating an attack so fierce that it would bring Paris to rubble. That wouldn’t happen, but the discourse, the constant scanning of the sky, and the mystery was distracting Gabriel.

The black-spotted here tilted her head the side, examining the woman. “You said you had information about Hawkmoth.”

“I do.” She glanced over to Chat Noir, trying to read the confusion across his face. The woman had contacted Ladybug and Ladybug alone, so the young boy was probably surprised.

“The kwami can confirm that I’m not Hawkmoth.” She admitted, revealing the box in her hands. “But I can’t be trusted to hold onto it’s miraculous.”

It was at Nooroo’s suggestion that Nathalie return the miraculous to them.

Ladybug stared at her, unsheathing her yo-yo. “If this is the trick Hawkmoth planned, it’s a poor one.”

Nathalie grimaced, “It’s not a trick, I’ll be on my way.”

Chat Noir’s eye’s widened and he strode over to her. He glanced down at the box, and took it by the tips of his fingers. When he opened it, his eyes widened, and he looked up at the woman. His tone was one of such disbelief that Nathalie wondered if she had met the boy when he was a civilian. Perhaps a friend of Adrien’s.

“How did you do it?” He whispered. “What—how do you know Hawkmoth?”

She frowned, “My last name is means ‘heartless’. Hawkmoth’s can make akumas, or champions, but he has a supermagical ability pertaining to empathy.”

Ladybug frowned, “So what does that have to do with you?”

Placing her hands in her pockets, “Hawkmoth can’t stand to be around people with strong emotions. I don’t have a lot of emotions. He’s…he’s in love with me.” Nathalie squared her shoulders, “Ultimately, I made him choose me or the miraculous.”

Chat Noir glanced away, “He chose you.”

“He did.” Nathalie affirmed, her voice calculating, “I suggest that you two avoid me in the future at all costs. I don’t think he’s dangerous—”

“We won’t bother you.” Ladybug promised her, “Or whoever Hawkmoth is.”

Nathalie smiled, “Thank you.” She turned on her heel, heading back to the maintenance stairs.

Chat Noir cleared his throat, “Are you happy, at least? With him?”

She turned back, “If I wasn’t happy, I’d have gotten him arrested by now.” She turned her phone on, and glanced at the time, “I have to go, there’s a dinner. Have a lovely afternoon.”

 XXX

“You should take the miraculous.” Chat Noir thrust the box into her hands, his mouth dry. “I lose everything, you know.”

Ladybug stared at the box, “Are you alright?”

Well, in all honestly, he was feeling queasy. The thought of Nathalie, a member of his family, his father’s assistant, twisting around with a supervillain worried him to no end.

Chat Noir gave her a cheesy smile, “I’m peachy. I’m glad that Hawkmoth truly is gone.” He checked the time on his baton, “I have dinner with my…family. I have to go, m’lady.”

When he turned to go, she grabbed his wrist. “Wait!”

A blush crept up his neck, and the glanced back, “Yeah, sweetheart?”

Ladybug pulled her hand back to her, “This—this isn’t the last time we’re—I—I need you in my life. You’re my best friend.”

He smiled really wide. For a moment, everything difficult about Adrien’s life was wiped away. “Ladybug, of course.”

She nodded, “After we tell the mayor and the city, we should reveal our identities.”

“When things die down?” He grinned.

“Yes.”

“It’s a date.”

“It’s not.”

“I don’t know, bugaboo,” he extended his staff, preparing to go, “I’m a 9 in costume, and a 15 as a civilian. Are you sure you’ll be able to resist my model-like charm?”

Ladybug giggled, “Yes, kitty. Have a good evening.”

 XXX

Adrien burst into the dining room, running late. “Father—”

He stopped.

_Nathalie._

_Nathalie and my father sitting at the dinner table._

_Nathalie is sitting where mother sat._

The boy gave them a small smile, “Nathalie, I didn’t realize you would be joining us.”

They both stood. “Adrien,” His father gave the boy a small smile, “it’s quite alright. We have something to discuss. Would you sit?”

He nodded, and sat across from Nathalie, who’s lips were pressed into a small, thin line.

Gabriel cleared his throat, “There’s no good way of saying this to you, son. Sometimes, the unexpected happens.”

Adrien glanced over to Nathalie, trying to mask the growing horror at the pit of his stomach, “I don’t understand.”

“Nathalie and I have been seeing each other for quite some time.” His father admitted, “And she’s going to be living in the mansion for the foreseeable future.”

He glanced over at his father, who spoke in such a businesslike manner that he wondered if Nathalie wrote him a script. “How long has this been going on?”

Nathalie frowned, “Long enough that not telling you would be incredibly insulting and inappropriate, Adrien. Your father and I have no intention of hurting you.”

 _I’m still hurt,_ the boy thought, his insides twisting together into an insurmountable knot. “How long?”

“One year,” His father answered.

“Nine months,” Nathalie responded, at the exact same time.

She glared at him. Gabriel adopted a cool expression.

Adrien’s jawed dropped, then he realized that she wasn’t his employee anymore. Even so, his mother didn’t glare at Gabriel. She would smile, bare her teeth, and drag him into a room far away from their son.

“In retrospect, we should’ve agreed on our story before discussing this with Adrien.” He admitted, his voice like a warm cup of coffee.

Nathalie softened. Adrien had never seen the woman give in before, or, compromise.

He swallowed, “So what is it?”

Gabriel glanced down at his plate. “We’re going to have to agree eventually.”

“A year would be best.” She agreed. “A year, Adrien.”

“Why did you say nine months?”

She took a sip of water, and glanced at the ceiling. “To put it bluntly: There is a difference between ‘dating’ and ‘being monogamous.’ You could say that we dated for three months, but weren’t explicitly monogamous until 9 months ago.”

Adrien glanced over to his father, who was trying to keep a straight face during this entire process. “Relationships are private, Adrien, it’s impolite to pry.”

_He’s Hawkmoth._

_My father is Hawkmoth._

Nathalie resisted rolling her eyes, “I’m glad you’re taking this well.”

“Are you still going to work for Father?”

She snorted, genuinely laughing slightly. Gabriel was putty in her hands, and it showed all over his face. “No,” Nathalie admitted, “I’ll still look after you, and I do have to train my replacement, however.”

“What will you do?”

Adjusting the frames of her glasses, she answered neutrally, “I worked non-stop for the Gabriel brand for the better part of two decades. I think I’m going to take a well-deserved vacation.”

_Hawkmoth can sense emotions. Father can emotions. Keep yourself together._

“Adrien.” His father’s voice cut through the internal despair, “I hope you know that I’m in no way, trying to replace your mother.”

“I know.” He answered quickly. “No one could replace her.”

Gabriel nodded, “People aren’t objects. You’re irreplaceable, son. So is Nathalie. So is your mother.”

Several thoughts came together. He glanced up to the portrait of his mother, him, and his father.

_He was trying to bring her back._

The realization hit him harder than he expected.

“May I be excused?” He asked the two of them, “I—I couldn’t be happier for you two, I’ve just been running around all day with—” His eyes widened as he slowly turned his head towards Nathalie, “You moved my scheduled on purpose.”

“Yes.” She admitted.

“You’re excused.” Gabriel told the boy, “Have a lovely evening, son.”

“Thank you.” Adrien made a hasty exit.

 XXX

“Plagg.” The boy peaked into his shirt, “Did you know?”

“Does it matter?” the kwami yawned, “That heartless lady took down Hawkmoth. That should be satisfying.”

“It’s not!” Adrien hissed, closing his bedroom door.

“Better her than you.” Plagg floated up, “It would’ve been quite the heartbreak. Nathalie doesn’t have a heart to break.”

The boy found himself nodding, despite the twitching of disagreement within him. She had never softened that way before. Adrien had seen her smile in front of Penny Rolling, he had seen her grin at the sight of especially beautiful garments of clothing. She had an eye for cosmetics, and he had seen her begrudgingly agree with makeup artists over certain trends.

But she had never softened the way she softened to him.

It would be foolish to assume that Nathalie was heartless. Adrien tried to wrap his head around the entire situation.

One year or nine months?

The boy could only assume that there was a time when Hawkmoth pursued her. There was a time when Nathalie didn’t realize that Hawkmoth was Gabriel Agreste. Then, a swit

Even so, assumptions didn’t matter.

Nathalie Sancouer, the expert fly-on-the-wall, took down Hawkmoth in an expert stroke.

“I can’t assume that she’s in danger.” Adrien told Plagg, “She’s clearly capable of taking care of herself.”

 XXX

“That went better than expected.” Gabriel told her, later that night, sipping a glass of wine in the study in his private wing. He watched her pour over his library. “You’re not going to any Tolstoy or Rand, Nathalie.”

She nodded, passing over the section of fashion history textbooks, and finding the books on cosmetic history. Nathalie withdrew a book, skimming it. “I just expected magic books.” She admitted, “I’m surprised that your library is so ‘Gabriel Agreste’.”

Pausing, she put the book back and faced him, “Adrien took it as well as he could in light of the circumstances. He excels at saying the right things, and smiling at the right time. We wouldn’t get a direct answer out of him no matter how hard we tried.”

Gabriel nodded, “I wish I could tell you that my superpowers could be applied here, but…” The man trailed off, before taking in a breath and admitting, “I can’t read him without intense focus. It’s not that they’re not there, but reading his emotions always gives me migraines.”

Nathalie pushed her eyebrows together, “Does that happen with other people?”

“No.” The man admitted, “Reading emotions is akin to reading street signs.  He’s always been different.”

 _Gabriel Agreste is an idiot_ , she decided, _there’s no kinder way of putting it._

She distinctly recalled her lover saying the same thing about Ladybug and Chat Noir, several months before.

Adrien had looked rather horrified at dinner, which made a large amount of sense, if you considered the possibility that she had told Chat Noir that she was dating Hawkmoth in exchange for Paris’s safety a half-hour prior.

Learning that your father was Hawkmoth would be a pretty reasonable excuse to leave dinner early.

Still, addressing that issue would cause the boy more stress than necessary.

“Penny for your thoughts?” He murmured, slightly amused.

Nathalie smirked, “You can’t afford me.”

* * *

 

 

#  **PART 6:**  

_Summary: Master Fu, meet Nathalie Sancoeur; Nathalie Sancoeur, meet your worst nightmare. ~1300 words._

 

When Master Fu approached Nathalie, it was when she was leaving Adrien’s fencing gym, after dropping him off on a crisp day.

“You’re Nathalie Sancoeur?” He was short, wearing a gaudy Hawaiian shirt, and precocious.

She nodded, “Was there something you needed, sir?”

The man smirked, “I needed to discuss something of importance.”

Her eyebrows pushed together. She didn’t have any recollection of the man whatsoever, “Do I know you?”

“We know the same people.” The man admitted, “Hawkmoth…Chat Noir.”

Nathalie tried to keep her face neutral, “I’m afraid I don’t know them, sir. Have a lovely—”

“Gabriel and Adrien, then.” The man explained, “Ms. Sancoeur, please follow me.”

Her eye’s widened, but she nodded, and followed the man down the street, texting the driver that she ran into an old friend and would call him when he was needed. The man lived in the same district, and it was a matter of two blocks, and then they were slipping into a small aura healing parlor.

When Fu closed the door, she whirled on him, “You can’t tell anyone about Gabriel. He’s making strides. He’s redeeming himself.”

“That’s—”

“Paris is _safe,_ sir!” _Why are you protecting him? Sure, you love him, but you typically don’t love anyone enough to get this upset._ “Paris is finally recovering, and you want to drag him through the dirt for it? And Adrien? Do you honestly want to put one of Paris’s heroes through that sort of trauma?”

“My name is Master Fu.” The man explained, with a warm smile. He had a funny way of ignoring the complete anger emanating off the woman. “I have no interest in having Gabriel arrested. In fact, we’re old friends.”

Nathalie crossed her arms, ‘old friends’ had always been an obnoxious phrase, used by people Gabriel had met once or twice before his rise to fame. “Is that right?”

The man nodded, and lead her into the next room. When she saw the box. The man had The Butterfly miraculous. “I am what is known as The Guardian. I protect the miraculous, and hand them out when necessary.”

He opened the box, and held the brooch in his hand, and the purple kwami appeared.

“Nooroo vouched for you.” The man admitted, “Apparently, you figured out Gabriel’s identity very quickly.”

“Very quickly.” The kwami echoed, and floated over to Nathalie, “How are you? How’s mast—Gabriel?”

Nathalie inhaled, “Gabriel is doing a lot better, he’s—”

Speak of the devil. Actually, no.

They said Gabriel’s name three times.

_Of course, he was bound to appear._

“Nathalie!” He slammed the door open, bursting through, his nostrils flared, his entire body poised to strike.

She stared at him. Master Fu stared at him. Gabriel stared at them. Nooroo broke the silence with a squealing noise, and he zipped towards Gabriel.

“Gabriel!” The kwami cried, head-butting the man in the forehead, “You made such a _good_ choice! Nathalie is so good! You are—”

He frowned, “Stop.”

The butterfly beamed, “That’s the best part! You can’t boss me around!  I get to hug my little cocoon!”

Nathalie scowled at the nickname, “What are you doing here? How did you find me?”

Gabriel pushed the kwami off of him, and the butterfly floated up to his hair, upsetting the pomade. “You were distressed, then incredibly furious. I could feel it across town. I got worried.”

Crossing her arms, she titled her head to the side, “You said you lost your empath powers.”

Master Fu let out a satisfied hum, “Gabriel has always been self-serving.”

“He had my miraculous for so long,” Nooroo added, “He will never _stop_ being an empath.”

The man glanced down to The Guardian, and you could see the walls being thickened around him, “Master Fu, a pleasure, as always.”

“What’s it been? Three years?”

“Five.” Gabriel replied. He glanced down at the brooch, “I’m surprised, Nathalie, that you kept the brooch for this long.”

Nooroo patted the man’s glasses, “No, she returned it the day she moved into the mansion.”

His expression hadn’t changed from the bored façade it had adopted.

“I asked Nathalie here to discuss certain matters.” Master Fu explained, “I activated Nooroo to vouch for my identity. You, Gabriel, are welcomed to stay, but this is between Nathalie and I.”

“Of course.” He answered, his voice soft.

Nathalie and Gabriel sat across from Fu, and Nooroo floated down to Nathalie’s shoulder, nuzzling her cheek, muttering words of encouragement.

Fu smiled slightly. “So, Nathalie, you discovered Hawkmoth’s identity? How?”

“They’re the same.” She replied. “Anyone could see it if they connected the dots.”

Master Fu inhaled, “And yet, you also figured out Chat Noir’s identity, did you not?”

“Again,” Nathalie replied, “You can see if it you’re looking at the right angle.”

Gabriel glanced over to her, his voice barely above a whisper, “You discovered his identity?”

Her teeth gritted, “ _Again,_ anyone with a brain could see it.”

“Not true.” Fu replied, “It takes a special kind of person to discover not one, but two identities by cleverness alone. That kind of person can unlock the secrets of this world.”

Something tugged and snagged at the wheels turning over in her mind, but she couldn’t address it at that moment, so she cast it aside.

She frowned, “So?”

Master Fu leaned back, “Gabriel and Adele told me about you, Nathalie. You have guile. You have cleverness, the ability to see past lies and manipulation. You are the fly on the wall who can make the world crumble should you choose.” Fu revealed a small box from his pocket, identical to the butterfly box in every way. She was speechless, so he went on. “Now, Adele and Gabriel were both miraculous users at that time, making them naturally inclined to seek out potential candidates.”

“So?”

He slid the box over to her, his voice soft, “I was foolish to not take them seriously at the time. You’ve more than proved yourself.”

Nathalie didn’t allow herself to glance at the box, “That’s extremely flattering, but I’m not interested.”

Gabriel didn’t hide his shock, “You wouldn’t want this, Nathalie?”

“I don’t need this?” She replied, incredulous, turning to him, “I have you. I have Adrien. I have everything I could ever want. There isn’t exactly a villain that requires a new miraculous user to step up.”

The man trembled under her words. Gabriel knew that she was happy, but she rarely felt the need to communicate it beyond what emotions he could feel from her. Perhaps that would have to change.

Fu blinked, “It’s not uncommon for Fox miraculous users to reject the necklace at first. You’re naturally inclined to skepticism. You’re right to question this, but it’s okay to want the miraculous, as well. It’s okay to want to be the hero. The Fox miraculous is used for investigation, unearthing lost truths. You would excel.”

Nathalie stood, and smoothed her trousers, “I’m enough of a hero, Master Fu. There’s nothing I could do with that miraculous that could possible outdo what I’ve already done.” She checked her phone, “Adrien’s fencing lesson is almost over. I better be going. Gabriel? Are you staying? Should I expect you at dinner?”

Gabriel inhaled, conflicted, and shot a glance over to Master Fu, “Nathalie…”

Her shoulders dropped, “Please tell me you’re not going to go along with this.”

Nooroo glanced between the two of them, and huffed, clearly wanting to say something that hung in the air.

“What, Nooroo?” She asked the kwami. “Spit it out.”

The butterfly’s eye’s turned into saucers, and the kwami put on a dazzling smile, “You could find Adele Agreste with the fox miraculous, Miss Nathalie.”

“Is that so?” Her eyebrows raised in perfectly-faked surprise.

“You already knew that.” Fu told her, ripping the carpet out from under her.

Nathalie clasped her hands behind her back, “I did, didn’t I?”

* * *

 

# PART 7: 

_Summary: a heart to heartless conversation_

 

Nathalie sat in the main library of the mansion, trying to drown out the non-stop thought process going through her mind.

She had gone through half a dozen books, having already read them, hoping to re-engross herself in hidden meaning, in subtext, in foreshadowing she hadn’t caught before.

Nothing.

Nothing to stop the endless nagging in her mind that Adele Agreste was out there, alive, and needed to be found, and most likely, rescued.

A window was being opened in the library. The windows are large, and even without the slight sound, she could feel the draft.

There was something to distract her.

Nathalie stood, and turned a corner at the exact moment that Chat Noir spotted her, mid-transformation.

Adrien made a choking noise, he fumbled backwards. “N-Nathalie! I can explain!”

The woman held up a hand, “I already knew, Adrien.”

He had to have turned several shades of white, “Please don’t tell Father.”

“I won’t.” She admitted, “Would you like to sit down, I’ve been meaning to speak to you about all of this.”

Adrien nodded, pulling a piece of cheese off a crook in a shelf. “This is Plagg,” The black cat kwami emerged, “He’s a kwami that grants me my magical powers.”

 “I know what they are.” She admitted, sitting on a chair by a bay window.

When he joined her, Plagg landed between them, reeking of camembert. The cat looked lazily to her, “You’re the woman who’s gonna be Todda’s chosen, right?”

“Todda?” Adrien glanced up, confused.

Nathalie rolled her shoulders, which had been tense for the better part of the afternoon, “Master Fu believes that I’m suited for the Fox miraculous, but it’s not relevant. I wanted to talk about what happened.”

The boy nodded, numb. “Okay.”

She took in a breath, held it for five seconds, and let it out, “I didn’t realize when I gave you the Butterfly miraculous, that you were Chat Noir. I figured out when you were acting strangely at dinner that evening.”

His head shot up, “ _That’s_ what gave me away?”

“You can confirm it easily enough.” She replied, suddenly defensive, “I can search through e-mails that I’ve sent during akuma attacks, where you’ve been conveniently missing, when I or Gorilla have had to cover for your unexplained absence.”

“Is that how you figured out father?” Adrien asked.

Nathalie shook her head, “Not exactly. Your father had a bad habit of underestimating my intelligence. The point is, I’m truly sorry for hurting you.”

“It’s ok.” He admitted. “If you didn’t know I was Chat Noir at the time, no harm done.”

“You were never meant to know that your father was Hawkmoth.” She told him definitively. “You were never meant know how your father and I starting to see each other.”

Plagg perked up, “Wouldn’t it have been a secret regardless?”

She sighed, defeated from the day, “Yes, it’s all very convoluted.”

Adrien frowned, “Well, as long as father doesn’t know that I know, and as long he doesn’t know that I’m Chat Noir, we’ll be fine.”

“I know.” Nathalie assured him with a contented smile, “Things will smooth themselves out over time.”

He leaned back, “I’ve never seen you or Father this happy before.”

“I’ve never been this happy before,” She agreed, standing, “I’m glad–”

“I meant when he was with my mom.” Adrien cut her off, “He was happy, but he was supposed to be. Father knew that he had everything, and he knew he was supposed to be happy, so that’s what he did. It’s genuine with you.”

Her breath hitched in her throat, “Right. Have a lovely evening, Adrien.”

“I mean it.” He called after her.

“I know.” She replied, slipping out of the library and racing for the stairs.

 XXX

Gabriel was in her bed. He must’ve slipped in unnoticed. He was snoring softly, but roused when she entered. Her feathers were ruffled, as she scrambled to find a nightgown and run into the bathroom to brush her teeth and moisturize.

“Nathalie…” He murmured, pulling the covers further to his shoulders. It was fruitless, he slept with the covers around his waist. “What’s wrong?”

She stiffened, and hardly attempted to lie, “Nothing, Gabriel, I’m fine.”

When she dropped into the bed next to him, he shifted, taking her under his arm, “We can talk about it. I’m rather good at sorting out emotions.”

“What about your own?” She replied. “Are you happy?”

“Yes.” He answered, not thinking. “Aren’t you? You did say that you had everything you could ever want.”

“This isn’t about me—but yes.” She replied, sitting up. Nathalie hadn’t felt this restless since she was a teenager. “Are you genuinely happy? With me?”

Gabriel’s eyebrows raised, “Of course, you know that.”

A corner of her mouth twitched, and she crossed her arms, “I’m just—it’s okay if you’re unhappy, if that makes sense. You don’t have to fake anything.”

She was pretty sure he was rolling eyes, “Did someone tell you that I was phoning it in when I was with Adele?”

“No.” Again, not even a good lie.

He smirked, “Nathalie, I’m an empath. I can’t _stand_ to be around other people. Adele had strong emotions just like everyone else. I loved her, I was happy, but once we had Adrien, it was exhausting.”

That threw her for a loop, “What?”

Gabriel leaned back, and she was still looking over her shoulder, staring at him. Not wanting to put a crane in her neck, she shifted around to face him. Her feet brushing his side as her arms rested on her knees.

“Adele’s miraculous meant that people _gravitated_ towards her. Peacocks, beauty, all of that nonsense. For me, I couldn’t stop feeling the emotions around me.” He sighed. “She wanted to be left alone, I wanted to be left alone. We loved each other, so we spent time with one another when we could both handle it.”

Nathalie frowned, “I didn’t realize that she hated the attention.”

He hummed, “She was…used to it, and wasn’t the type to complain. Things changed when Adrien came along. We couldn’t let him grow up thinking it was _normal,_ that staying as far away from the one you love except when you could tolerate it. It wasn’t acceptable.”

She frowned.

“I’ll have to have a talk to Adrien about it,” Gabriel added, quietly, “I could explain, especially if he’s the one who told you.”

Nathalie moved, under the covers, next to him, “He just mentioned that you’re happier than you ever seemed to be with Adele.”

Gabriel moved closer to, “That’s true,” his voice saccharine and honest.

 _Shit,_ she realized, _I screwed up._

“If you found her, I wouldn’t leave you for her.” He assured her, saying words that had been left unsaid for quite some time. “I know that’s hard to believe, but it’s you, Nathalie. It’s never going to not be you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr: gabriel-fucking-agreste, check there for the most recent updates, I update the AO3 every several chapters


	3. HawkNath 8 / 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sin, Sin, Sin

Nathalie stared at the box, left on her nightstand, and spared an annoyed glance towards the door. Gabriel probably wouldn’t pick up her emotions, all the way across town, but the principle remained.

She opened the box, and picked up the necklace.

Nothing happened.

Didn’t Nooroo come out as soon as you touched his brooch? Nathalie wondered if it was broken, but then she caught her reflection in the mirror, and knew she’d probably have to put it on.

She strode across the room, her heels clicking across the dark hardwood. She leaned against the vanity, and her fingers were at the ends of the gold chain.

As soon as she closed the clasps, an orange blur emerged, immediately biting Nathalie’s shoulder.

The woman shrieked, cursing at the top of her lungs as the kwami pulled away, “What the hell was that for?”

“Wait, are you Nathalie?” The kwami floated up, and turned upside down, examining her.

“Yes!” She hissed back through shut eyes, “Why would you bite me?”

“What if you weren’t Nathalie?” The fox-like creature replied, “A fox can never be too careful.”

Her phone started to ring. She groaned and darted towards the bed, picking it up immediately, “Gabriel. I’m fine. I tripped and fell. You don’t have to call every time I have an emotion.”

“For the record,” He crooned, “I was going to call and see if you had plans for lunch.”

Nathalie resisted the urge to strangle her partner. “I have plans.” She hung up, and sucked in a breath, turning to the kwami.

“Name’s Todda.” The kwami commented, keeping a safe distance. “Do you have blackberries?”

“Is that what you eat?”

“Yes.”

She frowned, “Those aren’t in season.”

The kwami tuttedd, “Aren’t you supposed to be clever or something?”

Nathalie opened her mouth to reply, but the kwami kept talking.

“Oh wait,” Todda went on her eyelashes fluttering, “Fu, Wayzz, and Nooroo told me all about you. They went on and on about ‘Oh Todda, she’s the cleverest of them all’ and ‘She’ll be the best Volpina in history’.” The kwami scowled, “If that’s the case, _make it work._ ”

She scowled, “All of this for blackberries?”

“Yes.”

“Or what?”

“I could always bite you again.” The kwami smiled, brandishing her pointy canines.

Nathalie groaned, and grabbed a sweater out of her closet, with large pockets. “You can fit in one of these. I can’t risk the staff seeing you.”

Halfway down the stairs, she peeked into the pocket, “Stop. Biting. The. Sweater.”

Gabriel crocheted the cardigan himself, he would notice if it started to unravel.

“My natural instinct is to _bite._ ” Todda hissed back. “Don’t you like biting, Nathalie?”

“What?” She felt slight heat crawl up the back of her neck.

“Biting Gabriel.” The kwami murmured, “I always bit his giant ears.”

“Stop.”

“I’ll see for myself soon enough.”

Nathalie put her fist in her mouth, heading for the kitchen and running into the house chef.

“Ms. Sancoeur.” His voice was slightly condescending, as he pulled fresh bread out of the oven. Right, he knew exactly why she was living in the mansion, like the rest of the staff. “What can I do for you?”

Her eyes widened.

_He will think you’re craving._

_He will think you’re pregnant._

_You will have to explain this to Gabriel when the rumors gets back to him._

“What is for dinner tonight?” She straightened her spine. “I’m curious.”  

“Roasted duck.”

Nathalie clicked her tongue, “Add a blackberry-reduced sauce on the side for the duck, please and thank you.”

She turned, and exited before the man had a chance to disagree with her.

XXX

Not wanting to be alone, she slipped into his bedroom that night, where he had holed himself up to work. Hopefully her kwami wouldn’t follow her in.

Nathalie didn’t go into his bedroom. There was still the matter of Adele Agreste, who hung between them like the banshee she most likely was. Due to this, Nathalie always waited for Gabriel to make the first move. Perhaps she could blame her behavior on the full moon.

She shut the door behind her, with a resounding noise that jolted the man.

“You don’t typically come in here.” He remarked sitting up, and smoothing the old, wrinkled dress shirt that he wore. He placed his laptop on the nightstand, and got of the bed, moving to meet her, wearing an old pair of cotton trousers.

The woman embraced him, her lips enveloping him. He let out shocked groan, but returned her passion.

Despite his protest, Nathalie pulled away, weaved around him, grabbed the man by his wrist, and led him to the bed.

“What’s gotten into you?” He chuckled, allowing himself to be pulled along, as though she were a soft current, in a soft ocean.

Her eyes met his, and she could’ve sworn he was glowing under her gaze, “Nothing, nothing.”

He leaned down and kissed her again, fervently, quickly. She moved, kissing her neck, then moved to the curve of his jaw, his sharp cheekbone. One of his hands pressed into her inner thigh, the other undid her shirt’s buttons, one by one.

His touch was what it was always, electric against her skin. Was Gabriel aware that his touch unraveled everything about her, and wrenched her heart out of the perfectly-calibrated cage she had created?

Perhaps he knew, because he always let out a devilish chuckle when he felt her walls come down. Nathalie stuttered back onto the bed, allowing him to climb on top of her. Her nails found his bare back under his shirt, scoring his back. He exhaled, relishing in the feeling, and pushed her hair back to nibble her ear.

He pulled back, and she thought he fall back into her again, but he was staring down at her neck, obviously distracted.

But she felt his fingers on the miraculous, while another hand ran across the chain. She stiffened, and pulled back, breathing harder than she expected.

Gabriel stared into her eyes. Then the entire universe ripped apart, and she held onto him, but he disintegrated into her arms.


	4. FoxHawk Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of the second half of the series

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE, make sure you read Part 8, I did a double update omg

When she awoke, she was in her bed, tangled in sheets. She blinked, and everything was familiar. She grabbed her phone, checking the date.

Nathalie paled.

It was the day after the Sleeping Beauty akuma. The one where Hawkmoth kidnapped her for the first time. Well, the last the time, he hadn’t technically kidnapped her after that moment. That was the first time Hawkmoth invaded her life.

She flew out of the bed, her fingers dancing over her phone. She was about to call Gabriel when she stopped herself.

 _He doesn’t know that I know._ Nathalie swallowed, _if it was all a dream, there’s a chance that he’s not Hawkmoth._

_A small chance, but a chance._

Her hand went to her chest, and then she realized with gaping horror that it wasn’t _just_ a dream.

Nathalie turned back, and Todda was sitting on her pillow, content.

“It wasn’t a dream.” The kwami told her, “Sleeping Beauty sent people into alternate universes when she put them into comas.”

She was blinking, rapidly. “It was real.”

“It was.” The kwami purred, “The akuma sent you into a reality where Hawkmoth continued to pursue you.”

Everything was spinning out of control. Nathalie frowned. “And you—”

“Miraculously, I am here.” She replied dryly, “Miraculous users are universal across all potential realities. There’s no reality where you _don’t_ get the Fox miraculous, so this shouldn’t be a big deal.”

Her mind was reeling, she fell back onto a chair, usually reserved for her coat and purse. She realized that she was now in the reality, in _a_ reality where Hawkmoth doesn’t continue pursuing her after the Sleeping Beauty attack.

A reality where Gabriel doesn’t choose her.

A reality where she’s not enough.

Nathalie’s heart shattered. She was reminded that she had a heart to shatter, and that was equally as frustrating.

“What if this is just a dream, Todda?” She asked the kwami, not convincing herself at all.

“It’s not.”

After all, as soon as Hawkmoth escorted her out of his evil lair, she had fallen back under the spell, and she assumed that he had taken her to her apartment, and tucked her into bed.

In the alternate reality, she had awoken the next day, and felt as though nothing was amiss. Everyone’s dreams, reported the next day, were fleeting, and weird. Not serious enough to look in further. Ladybug and Chat Noir hadn’t fallen under the spell, so didn’t know the extent of the akuma’s powers.

She remembered her dreams so clearly, that she wondered if Todda had helped the memories remain.

“Did Hawkmoth see my dreams?”

“He doesn’t have that power.” The kwami replied.

Nathalie straightened up, “It was a nice dream.”

Her hind leg scratched behind her ear, “It’s one of my favorite realities,” the kwami admitted. “My wielders don’t usually find the love that you and Gabriel have in that reality.”

Taking in a full breath, she allowed herself to assess the situation.

It was two hours before she needed to be at the Agreste mansion.  

_He can sense your emotions, pull yourself together._

 

 XXX

 

When she arrived at the mansion and greeted Adrien at breakfast, her necklace was tucked beneath her sweater, and her mind was steely.

“You have a photoshoot at one.” She instructed the boy, “After that, your father wants you to attend Melanie Briston’s shoot at five, she’s new and could use some tips. Then fencing practice at the usual time and dinner.”

Adrien nodded, clearly exhausted from the day before. Everyone was. She was. “Is there anything I have to before one?” He asked her, “I really need a nap.”

“It’s better if you didn’t.” She heard his voice behind her. “Keep your sleeping schedule as consistent as possible, Adrien.”

Nathalie hadn’t even heard him approach. What was the point of the miraculous if he could sneak up on her? On one hand, she relaxed at the voice of the man she had given her heart to and loved for almost a year. On the other hand, it would take some getting used to, knowing this Gabriel would never be _that_ Gabriel. The one who chose her, who loved every part of her, who…

_Well, no use crying about it now._

The boy smiled weakly, “Good morning Father. Are you alright? I read that the akuma affected everyone in the city.”

Gabriel didn’t smile, “I’m fine. Weird dreams, but other than that, I’m fine.”

Adrien glanced over to Nathalie, “And you? Nathalie, no offense, but you look drained.”

She frowned, and felt Gabriel’s calculating stare on her. “I’m alright, as well,” She lied, “I don’t remember anything, but it was…draining. Thank you.”

Her boss clicked his tongue, “Well, I’m going to need you at the office, Nathalie. Maria Valeria will be there at 10. You know her, she talks at one-hundred words a minute, and I need someone to take notes.”

“Of course, sir.” She replied immediately. “I’m ready when you are.”

“Great.” Gabriel told her, glancing to his son, “Follow your schedule, Adrien.”

 XXX

Nathalie followed Gabriel into the company car, trying not to appear pensive as she glanced over e-mails on her tablet. She had hoped to appear busy, so that he wouldn’t make conversation.

She had gotten in a car with Hawkmoth hundreds of times.

“Did you get the e-mail from La Croix?” He asked her.

She nodded, “I can’t fit an interview into your schedule for the next three months, unless you want to do it at the end of the month.”

It’s important to note that the end of the month marked the four-year anniversary when Adele Agreste went missing. Gabriel, as much as he worked, always took those three weeks off, to retreat, meet with investigators, and privately mourn.

Then again, if Nathalie remembered correctly, around that time last year, about five akumas appeared in three weeks, which was something of a record.

“No, please e-mail them that I won’t be available.” He answered, glancing down his phone, scanning an article on the upcoming mayoral election. “Make sure Mayor Bourgeois has what he needs to win this upcoming cycle, as well.”

Nathalie nodded slowly, “I’ll have an investigator look into his opponent. Something will come up.”

“It always does.” He added, not sparing her a glance.

She was timing her breath, trying to keep everything about herself together.

Gabriel clicked his tongue, “I hope yesterday wasn’t too trying for you, with that akuma.”

Assessing him slowly, she nodded, her voice attempting to lie, even though she knew he’d see past it, “I appreciate the concern, I feel fine, however.”

 

 XXX

 

Nathalie knew that the next akuma would strike in three days. The alternate reality didn’t differ too much from her own.

“Todda, transform me.” She murmured, leaving her desk behind at the mansion. After all, if Gabriel had disappeared, so could she.

 _Sir, I was looking for you everywhere,_ Nathalie could already hear herself lying through her teeth.

Teddy Fear, a child who wanted a new bear, was turning citizens into stuffed bears that were ransacking the city.

Chat Noir and Ladybug had not gotten much headway. The bears were five meters tall, and difficult to go around. The city was effectively taken over.

Volpina skirted around the city, and when she got close to Teddy Fear, she let her magic wash over her, turning herself into a gruesome teddy bear.

She strode over to the little girl, staring at the akuma with beady eyes. The girl beamed at the bear, beautiful and pink and everything she could possibly want. The akuma embraced her.

_Perfect._

Nathalie couldn’t fly, but she could run. The disguise slipped, and she picked up the girl with one arm, and the raggedy bear another, and ran for cover.

The akuma protested, cried, and balled her tiny fists, hitting the woman’s back as she jumped up a fire escape, hoping that Ladybug and Chat Noir meet her on top of the roof.

“Stop struggling.” She told the child, gripping the kid by it’s wrists, as she attempted to shoot magic in the air.

The akuma glared at her, “Let me go!”

Nathalie ignored the child, finally on the roof. She glanced around her, and then she saw Chat Noir and Ladybug racing towards her.

She tossed the bear to the girl, “Purify the akuma, please and thank you.”

Ladybug stuck out her jaw, defiant, but picked up the bear. She pried, carefully at the stitching, until she turned to her partner.

“I need your hand.”  
Chat Noir smirked. “Why, my lady, how forward of you.”

She groaned, and took one of his fingers, cutting the bear open with a claw, releasing the little, black butterfly.


	5. FoxHawk, Parts 2 - 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cross-posted on tumblr, each part is labeled, and includes the summary.

# Part 2

_An akuma conveniently targets Gabriel Agreste, and Volpina tasks herself with protecting him._

 

_XXX_

 

Okay, this reality was a lot different in the other reality, Nathalie had to admit.

First of all, Paris _adored_ her, the new Volpina, the real Volpina, with long black hair that faded into a bright red, and flowed freely off her back. Her suit, orange and sleek, breathed like athletic spandex, and clung to her like a second skin.

Despite orange not being her color, she had an absurd amount of fans. In reality, it was a lot smaller than Ladybug and Chat Noir, Nathalie was so unused to the attention that it was astronomical in her eyes.

There were other things that were different, as well.

Like, for example, an akuma that conveniently targeted Gabriel Agreste.

Volpina, or, Volpina’s illusion of herself, met the two young heroes, looking down at them. Chat Noir was wringing his hands. “What are we doing?” He demanded, “There’s an _akuma._ ”

“Strategizing.” Nathalie replied, “Though, I do understand your anxiety, Chat Noir.”

They were still uneasy around her. She wasn’t exactly a ‘team player’. In fact, this was the first time she sought them out to make a plan to begin with.

“What is it, Volpina?” Ladybug crossed her arms at the older woman.

“I’ll protect Gabriel Agreste.” The woman said with finality. “You two are more qualified to take out an akuma than I am, and as the only adult in this trio, I imagine I can convince him to seek shelter.”

Chat Noir grimaced, “You can’t convince him.”

“I am a master illusionist; I can convince him.” She told him softly. The boy was so worried for a man who didn’t need saving whatsoever. “I’ll head towards the mansion, alright?”

They nodded, and scampered off towards the akuma, who was mad at Gabriel for making a scathing criticism on his collection, or something.

Nathalie sighed, ran her hand through her hair, and opened a window into the dining room.

Her feet padded across the marble floor, passed her (empty) desk, and knocked on the door of his office.

“Volpina.” His voice was cool, and was coming from the top of the stairs. His hands were clasped firmly behind his back. Gabriel had adopted the warm smile he had used around business partners and reporters. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Nathalie allowed herself to smile wide, “There’s an akuma. I was tasked with keeping you safe, Mr. Agreste.”

He stepped down the stairs, “That is hardly necessary, this house is a fortress.”

Her hands went to her hips, “And yet, I don’t see any of your famed security systems up.”

Gabriel shout her a glare, and he started to head into his office, “I was just about to do that.”

She followed him into the office. Nathalie saw through his motives easily. He set up the akuma just to meet her, after all.

He set up the system, and turned back to her with complete indifference as metal sheets slid over the windos. She lived what felt like a lifetime, where he looked at her as though she were the only woman in the world. So it was jarring, naturally, to be ignored.

“Is everything alright?” He asked her, studying her intently.

She batted her eyelashes, “Everything’s fine, Mr. Agreste. Can I call you Gabriel?”

His eyes widened. “Wouldn’t the be a little too familiar?”

“Perhaps.” Nathalie shrugged, “I remember when you were a model, you know. I had a _quite_ the crush back in the day.”

It was a lie, after all, but it was probably enough.

Based on the slight flush that overcame Gabriel, it was sufficient, “You did?”

“I thought it was charming. The designer modelling his own clothes.” Nathalie smirked, stepping slightly closer to him.

Gabriel swallowed, “I couldn’t afford a male model at the time. I loathe modelling.”

Nathalie gave him a small smile, “Like father, like son.”

He rolled his eyes at her, and finished with a scoff and a glare, “You’re not as charming as you think you are.”

She glanced over him, lazily taking in his shoulders, the fit of his suit, his trousers. Her eyes met his once more. “Charm has nothing to do with it.”

The woman could’ve sworn that he trembled under her words.

 XXX

When Ladybug and Chat Noir arrived at the mansion to relieve Volpina, Gabriel exhaled, and excused himself to his private wing.

Nathalie was sitting at her desk, as though nothing were amiss. She was as emotionless as ever, which helped. She mentioned something about a meeting being cancelled, and he thanked her, telling her he’d be back in a moment.

Despite the choice not to pursue her, he couldn’t help but focus on her. She was the anchor point, the passive ship in the sea of emotions that constantly surrounded him at any given moment.

He turned the lock on his bedroom door, and sighed.

It was foolish to think that his shameless attraction to superheroines would fade with time and age. Peacock had done it with ease, flirting with a teenage boy who had been sketching her figure for months (her patrol route passed his window, and she typically stopped there), memorizing every curve and rhythm.

Years later, when Mrs. Agreste would discover _that_ sketchbook, she would give her identity away by accident.

Nooroo emerged from the jacket, landing on the man’s shoulder.

“You could always hope that Volpina will pursue you, like she did, Master.” The butterfly, despite his obvious loathing of his position, did his best to be comforting.

Strolling over to his window, and throwing open the curtains, he scanned the skyline, hoping to spot the orange-clad heroine. “That would be too easy. The Fox Miraculous is clever by nature.”

Then, he felt his entire body freeze at the most obvious fact in the history of obvious facts.

_She could know that I’m Hawkmoth._

There was no other explanation. It was textbook honeypot behavior. The next conclusion was obvious.

_She wants to trick me into giving up my miraculous._

 XXX

It was a week or so later. Wearing his wife’s miraculous was weird. Transforming into ‘Peacock’ was…even weirder. He pulled the cape around him, glancing around, hoping at least one of the miraculous users would find him.

It was Chat Noir. He explained that no, he wasn’t an akuma, he was supposed to be Volpina’s partner.

Volpina landed next to the boy, shooing him away, telling him that she needed to speak to her partner in private.

She scanned him up and down, “You couldn’t keep away if you tried, you know.”

He let out a nervous chuckle, “The name’s Peacock, it’s nice to meet you.”

“I know.” The woman replied, skeptical to the nth degree.

Gabriel gave her his most charming smile. “I look forward to working with you.”

Volpina strode toward him. She stood so close, that he could’ve easily ripped the necklace off of her.

Then, in a move that truly surprised him, she threw her arms around his neck, and pulled him close to her. His movements stuttered, but he let his hand rest on her waist. He hoped that he was comforting.

“I missed you.” She murmured, “I…There was an akuma a few weeks ago, and that akuma sent me into another reality where—”

Her breath hitched, and he felt her entire body freeze up. She didn’t let go, and he felt himself gradually melt.

“Sleeping Beauty?” He offered, his voice low, “What happened? Was I there?”

Volpina pulled away, examining the man’s face. “Gabriel…” Her voice trailed off, and her hand slid down, gripping the soft biceps of his arms slightly.

Several things happened. She lightly pushed him off of her. He realized that there was a chance that she didn’t know he was Hawkmoth. She spun around, and took in a sharp breath. He regretted more events around Sleeping Beauty.

He realized that she probably didn’t know that he was Hawkmoth. It dawned on him several more times that he had screwed up considerably.

“It doesn’t matter.” She told the man. “I’m not there anymore, and I’ll never have that life. I’m okay with it.”

Gabriel felt a small amount of guilt, again. “I’m sorry. I’m here now, however. I’m not going anywhere.”

“No.” Volpina stared at him, “You can’t be here. I can’t do this.”

Something sinister nagged at him. Her heart was already his, it was clear. All he had to do was get close enough to her, and then get close enough to the children. It would be easy.

She was already a step ahead of him, however. He was about to lie, and say something comforting.

“I know that you’re Hawkmoth. I know what you’re trying to do. Just. Stop.” The woman admitted, turning away, “Put the Peacock miraculous back in the safe and lay low. I’ll come up with a solution.”

Again, she was another step ahead of him, and she disappeared into the night, sending multiple illusions into several different directions

 

* * *

# Part 3

_summary: Gabriel tries to understand Volpina._

 

_XXX_

 

“That did not go as planned.” Nathalie told the fox kwami.

Somewhere across the city, she was sure Gabriel was saying the same thing.

Todda stared at her, while munching a piece of blackberry jam-covered toast. “It did not.” The kwami finally replied. “I assure you, however, Fiorri and Nooroo are probably giving Gabriel the roast of his life for it.”

“You’re not going to yell at me?” She whirled on the orange kwami, “I completely deviated from our plan.”

The kwami shot her a toothy smile, but it looked rather sinister, with her jagged teeth. “I won’t hold it against you, if you want do everything you can to recreate that reality.”

Her eyes scanned her tablet, glancing over the e-mails that Chat Noir and Ladybug had sent her. They were very curious about Peacock, the new member of the team. Nathalie checked the Ladyblog, thankful that no sightings of him had been reported.

She would have to say something to them.

 _Do not trust Peacock, for now,_ she wrote them both a quick e-mail, _do not approach him. He is not a villain but he has not been properly vetted. I will handle things and keep you informed._

Easy enough. They would believe her. She had quickly taken a protective role over the two of them. Gaining their trust was easy as well.

 XXX

Nathalie had gotten used to her world once again. She followed the rules, coloring in every line to the best of her ability.

This of course, went out the door when Blastphemy struck Paris.

She was typically at her desk during attacks, but now, she was getting thrown around by a priest akuma who was upset about the lack of churchgoers.

Her back was to a wall. She had to get the akuma away from the children, and was far too focused running to add any illusions into the mix.

Blastphemy was about to thrown a bible thumper at her, when Peacock dropped in front of the heroine, using his fan to shield them both from the blast.

He flipped forward, expertly landing next to the akuma, and ripping the rosary off his neck. “That’s enough.” The hero told the old man, frowning. His gaze turned back to Volpina, who was shocked.

They stood like this for a minute, staring at each other. The man rolled his eyes, “Where’s the girl? She needs to purify this.”

_Protect them._

Volpina went toward him, and he didn’t protest as she plucked the rosary out of his hand. “What are you doing here?” She demanded.

“You were _clearly_ in trouble.” He smirked, “And I couldn’t let anything happen to my partner.”

She tried to mask the way her heart emerged from the icy depths of Hell when she was near him. Nathalie hoped that crossing her arms, and locking her knees, was enough to keep herself from stepping closer to the man. “You caused the trouble.”

Of course, this didn’t stop him from stepping closer to her, and chuckling slightly when she took in a sharp breath.

“Volpina!” Chat Noir announced himself as landed on the graveled roof, and Ladybug followed. His eye’s widen at the man next to her, standing in broad daylight in the brightest blue and green suit he had ever seen. “Peacock. I wasn’t aware you were here. Thank you for your assistance.”

“He was just leaving.” Volpina glared at the man. “Weren’t you?”

“Aw, Foxy.” The man slipped an arm around her waist, while tossing the rosary to Ladybug, “There’s no need to be so cruel to me. I did help, after all.”

Ladybug and Chat Noir both got to witness Volpina turn into a red-faced, furious, mess. They also got to watch her fight between melting into the man and desperately pulling away. They were both confused and embarrassed.

After collecting herself, she pried his hand off of her, finger by finger. “No. I mean it. Go away. You are not wanted.”

He held up his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, honey.” Gabriel leaned down to her, however, and whispered into his ear, “You should come over tonight, however.”

With this, and a chaste kiss on the chick, and a flourishing bow to the children, he waved his cape and disappeared into the afternoon.

Chat Noir glanced to her, “So you know his identity?”

“No.”

“He told you to come over.” The cat replied plainly, “I mean, I have super hearing, you know. Being a cat.”

Ladybug tilted her head to the side, “Can we trust him?”

“Under no circumstances, can you trust him.” Volpina replied. “I have to go.”

“Wait!” The girl called after the woman, “Why can’t we trust him?”

“Trust me.” Volpina insisted, “He’s my partner, if that should give you any indication.”

 

 XXX

 

After several snarky comments from her kwami, Volpina slipped through the open window of Gabriel’s bedroom, glancing around.

He, the man in question, was still in the suit he wore for that day, standing at his wardrobe, going through the ritualistic undressing.

“I’m surprised that you’re here.”

“I could be an illusion.” Nathalie admitted, her words empty.

Gabriel turned to her, his expression thoroughly amused, “You’re not.”

She scowled, “Well, what was it that you wanted, then?”

“I wanted to talk.” He smiled, beginning to clean his glasses. “About this alternate universe.”

Nathalie frowned, and glanced away, “I’d prefer if we didn’t.”

“Alright.” Gabriel slipped on a t-shirt, and pushed back his unruly, damp hair. He turned, and strode towards her.

She took a step back, stopping him in his tracks.

“Oh.” He smirked, taking in her quiet, quiet rage. “We’ve done this before, haven’t we?” When she didn’t respond, his smile grew wider, “I would bet you’ve memorized every inch of me.” Gabriel’s eye’s narrowed, “Does it burn you up, knowing that I haven’t even begun to know you, yet I have your heart in my hands?”

Volpina smirked, “You’re a man who can’t handle what he dishes out, Gabriel.” She moved closer to him, her hands brushing his navel. “And yes, I did memorize you. I’ve committed all of those instances to memories.”

He let out small gasp as her lips brushed his ear. There was no hiding the flush that fell over his skin. Heat was pouring off of him.

“I’d offer to make another memory with you,” She murmured, her fingers grasping the hem of his pajama pants, “But watching your attempts to get me in bed is, I’ll admit, amusing.”

“Was I this desperate in that little reality of yours?”

She pulled away from him, her expression softened, “There was nothing little about it.”

_Turn on your heel. Walk away. Don’t look back._

Despite these mental instructions, she didn’t move.

He leaned back into her, running his hands through her hair before pulling her near him. His lips brushed hers for a minute. Even in this reality, Gabriel was always hesitant to make the first move.

Her lips parted slightly at the realization, but he kissed her before she could dare to smile.

She may have memorized every inch of him, but she had forgotten his warmth, she could admit that.

 

 XXX

 

In the morning, he would peel away from her, and pull a box of matches out of his nightstand, and quietly strike it. Gabriel would hold the flame near her, and feel entire world burn to the ground.

_Nathalie Sancoeur gave me her heart, and I took it._

He would turn back to the nightstand to blow out the flame, and the purple eyes of a fox kwami would stare into his. It’s eyes are going to be coldest things he will ever witness.

“We need to talk.”

* * *

 

# Part 4

_Summary: The Hedge Maze_

 

_XXX_

Nathalie was a heavy sleeper. These are facts.

Todda had mentioned that before going on, but Gabriel could tell that nothing would rouse her now. She slept as though she hadn’t slept in months.

“If you hurt her,” The kwami informed the man, “I will destroy you.”

Gabriel, slightly exhausted (she was fire), looked back at the woman in shock. “No, I don’t think I’d want to hurt her twice. It sounds like that akuma did a number on her.”

“It was nine months.” Todda’s tail swished in the air, donning an expression the man couldn’t place, “You couldn’t begin to understand it.”

“So,” He mused, “She lived a reality that continued after Sleeping Beauty. I assume I pursued her, and she discovered my identity.”

The fox tilted its head to the side, pondering her words carefully. “I think my master would be upset if I told you. Perhaps, if you gain her trust over time, she’ll tell you all about it.”

The woman stirred, turning to wrap an arm across his belly. “Gabriel, stay in bed a bit longer,” Nathalie murmured.

“She hasn’t slept this well in months, asshole, so don’t move an inch.” The kwami threatened, landing on the beside table.

For what it’s worth, Gabriel wouldn’t have moved even if the creature hadn’t threatened him. He curled back around her, and fell asleep.

XXX

He needed to talk to her. Alone. Preferably soon. She visited him often enough but she slipped in after patrols, catching him in such a state of half-sleep that he doesn’t have the energy to talk to her. Gabriel doesn’t ban her from sleeping in his bed—Nathalie is far more productive when she’s not sleep deprived, she’s _happier—_ but at some point she would need to stop using him a pillow and actually talk.

Hedge maze akuma.

Gabriel had been planning it for awhile, and he finally had the right…volunteer to help him along.

When the glowing red light descended upon the mansion, he was next to Nathalie, and her eye’s widened. Her hand grasped onto the arm of his suit jacket, and she immediately let go when they were surrounded by hedge, grass, and sky.

He glanced over to her. She grimaced, and looked as though she was remembering something painful. Her emotions, sheltered as always, seeped out, in the form of anger that had aged over time, faded away, and regrown at the sight of this maze.

_She’s done this before._

“The maze is endless.” Nathalie commented quietly, sounding slightly defeated. “It would be useless trying to find a way out.”

“Are you sure?”

“If you’d like to try and get out—be my guest.” She told him.

“Walk with me, then, Nathalie.”

She rolled her eyes, “That’s ‘Miss Heartless’ to you.” Then her eyes widened as a flush fell over her face.

Gabriel stopped, and managed a tight smile, “Don’t tell me that I came up with _that_ nickname.”

That pulled her out of her blushing, anxious state. She stared at him. She blinked. He pressed his lips together. There was no denying what was out in the open, now.

“Is this the part where you punch me?” He asked her, attempting to make a joke that fell flat.

Letting out a hollow chuckle, the woman shook her head, and crossed her arms tight across her body. “No, though there was a reality where I did.”

He swallowed, “I’m sorry.”

Nathalie sighed, “It’s okay.”

“Can I ask what happened?”

She paused, “You pursued me after Sleeping Beauty, and I figured out your identity, and you traded your miraculous for something rather important to me.”

Gabriel let out a small sigh. “You don’t have to say it. I understand.”

“I didn’t have the Fox miraculous but I took down Hawkmoth.” She went on slowly, choosing her words with a meticulous care. “Then I figured out Chat Noir’s identity and Master Fu figured _that_ out and I met Todda…who is currently in my damn purse at the mansion.”

“Then Ladybug and Chat Noir purified the akuma and you woke up?” Gabriel offered.

“That’s the gist.” She admitted, smiling slightly. “It was nice.”

Nooroo flew out of Gabriel’s jacket. “NATHALIE. I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!” The kwami flew towards the woman, nuzzling her cheek. “It’s so weird meeting people who’ve you’ve known in other universes! I promise you’ll get used to it. Master Fu deals with it _all_ the time.”

“The kwami live across all the universes.” Nathalie stated. She didn’t need the kwami to confirm it. She already knew it was true.

The pink butterfly nodded, “I suspect Master Fu broke into your apartment to leave the Todda there.”

“That’s…a way of doing it, I suppose. I am a heavy sleeper.” She answered. “That made it easier for Todda to explain things.”

Gabriel sighed. “Well, Nooroo. Are you going to magic this away?”

The kwami beamed, “FOLLOW ME, COCOONS.”

Nooroo, in a flash of pink sparkles, led them around the maze, for what seemed like ages, until the butterfly reappeared. “Right here! Both of you better hold onto me. Gabriel, you take that wing. Nathalie, take the other.”

Gabriel grasped onto one of the kwami’s wings, and Nathalie the other. He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Everything’s going to be fine.” He assured her.

They appeared in her apartment.

She looked over to him, and felt her entire heart swell.

“What do you say, Nat?” He asked her, unpinning the miraculous from his neck, “Want to try again?”

Nathalie blinked. She blinked again. He held the brooch in his hands. “You’re serious?”

“I am.”

“You’re _offering_ me your miraculous?”

“For your heart, it’s a trade that’s more than fair.” He answered, in earnest.

She threw her arms around his neck, and wrapped her legs around him. He supported her weight as she kissed him fervently. The miraculous clattered when it hit the floor, but neither of them paid it no mind.

For a split-second, she felt like she could finally get the happy ending.

In the next split-second, when she felt the universe rip apart for the second time in her lifetime, she knew that fate had other plans.

XXX

Happy endings are overrated.

XXX

“AGAIN!” Nathalie sprang out of bed, checking the date, “Todda, where are you?”

The kwami looked up at the woman, “What are we on, redo number three?”

“Is this the real universe, or not, you little jerk?” She picked the kwami up by it’s ear, preventing the bastard from biting her. “Tell. Me.”

Todda looked at her, unconcerned, “Does it matter?”

“Yes!” Nathalie scowled, “Is this a dream-within-a-dream situation? That was shorter than the first one!”

“I don’t know. You could be doomed to do this forever.” The fox replied, “Do you have blackberries? Jumping around universes is kind of tiring.”

She stopped, and tried to contain her rage. “So I have to spend another universe trying to take down a supervillain, only to get ripped away right at the ending?”

Shrugging, the kwami answered, “Between you and me, kwami are forbidden from discussion pertaining to the multiple timelines.” Todda sighed, “Why _would_ there be multiple timelines, you ask me? I smirk, because you’re a dumb human, and answer that Nooroo’s powers are _limitless,_ and time travel was always a go-to solution.”

“There are powers greater than Nooroo.” Nathalie replied after a moment of clarity. “Todda, transform me!”

XXX

Being the hero is overrated.

XXX

Volpina landed on the roof of the mansion, and slipped through a window in Gabriel’s wing of the house. She found a picture of Mrs. Agreste quickly enough—they were _everywhere_ , and shapeshifted. Adele’s black dress suddenly clung to Adele’s legs, and Adele’s golden hair spilled over Adele’s stupidly perfect shoulders.

When she started walking across the marble floor, her eyes widened. Had that woman _always_ walked in _these stupidly high heels?_ The woman slipped them off, disappearing them in a puff of orange smoke. Nathalie descended the stairs. Adrien and Gabriel were waiting for in the dining room, after all.

She steeled her heart, and opened the door.

“Adele!” Gabriel couldn’t contain his excitement.

Adrien was speechless, but he did burst up, knocking over his chair.

Taking advantage of Gabriel’s joy and confusion, she went for his brooch first. Nathalie threw her non-dominant fist towards his jaw, knowing he’d dodge, and hit him in the sternum with her right hook. He grunted, stumbling back as she tripped him. Nathalie’s left hand grabbed him by the collar, pressing him into the wall, she ripped the scarf off of him as he gasped for air.

_Take the brooch._

When the brooch was in her hand, she whirled towards Adrien, who was at a loss for word. “M-Mom?”

“Your father is Hawkmoth, and I can’t keep his miraculous.” She looked to the boy, giving him a small smile. “There was no other way to get the brooch.”

“Don’t mind me.” Gabriel heaved, “Just—dying.”

Nathalie exhaled, “Adrien, come here and take the miraculous. Get rid of it.”

“Mom.” The boy paled, “What happened? You seem so different.”

“I know,” She lied, “We’ll discuss it in time. I’m afraid that all of the trauma is still fresh. Take the brooch, darling.”

Adrien frowned, but nodded, and strode over to his mother. When he held out his hand, Nathalie quickly grasped his wrist, glaring at the ring. She plucked the silver thing off of his finger, and frowned at the boy’s confusion.

“What are you doing?” Adrien exclaimed, “Mom, why would you—”

“I’m not your mother.” Nathalie told the boy, placing the ring on one of her fingers for safekeeping. “Trust no one, Adrien.”

Then, she ran, hoping to find Ladybug. Time was a finite resource.

XXX

For a moment, Adrien had no idea how to process what had just occurred. His hand felt too light without the ring, and there was no Plagg to say something to pull the boy out of it.

“You were Chat Noir?” A crumpled Gabriel asked his son.

“You were Hawkmoth.” He replied.


	6. FoxHawk, Parts 5-7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Foxhawk Parts 5-7, and The Epilogue

# Part 5

_Summary: Adrien, Gabriel, and Marinette (The Triumvirate) have to face a new supervillian, in ~1200 words_

 

Gabriel hadn’t kept in his fury. “You. Were. Chat. Noir.”

Adrien glared, “You’re one to talk, Father.”

The man stood, brushing off the non-existent dirt that accumulated on his suit jacket. “Well, we seem to have run into a problem,” He glanced at his watch, “Whoever that was has the Fox miraculous, and just got away with ours.”

“The Fox miraculous.” Adrien scowled, “How do I know this isn’t just another akuma?”

Gabriel exhaled. “Your mother wouldn’t let me teach you how to play chess—which is the only metaphor I came come up with—is there a situation where you would willingly give up your ring to benefit yourself? No? Follow me.”

His father started out of the dining room, and Adrien blanched, and trailed behind him. His father, hadn’t stopped talking.

“If you know Ladybug’s identity, you should warn her.” He told the boy, “That woman is probably after her, now.”

The man pulled away the portrait, punching in the numbers of the safe. “If you can’t warn her, that’s fine. I’m coming up with a plan.”

Adrien could only watch in horror as his father pulled the brooch out of the safe, and a small, blue kwami appeared.

The kwami glared at the man, not saying a word.

Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose. “Adrien. Meet Fiorri. Fiorri, you remember Adrien.”

“ _That_ was a miraculous?” Adrien sputtered, staring at the brooch in horror as his father pinned it under his scarf, and tucked the scarf back into his vest. “What are you doing?”

Fiorri’s red eyes beamed at the boy, and she tried to fly over to him, but Gabriel held her back by the tail. “ _He is allergic. We have been over this.”_ He was still adjusting the scarf, when he blanched, “What I am doing, is going to fight that woman, and warn Ladybug. Or steal her earrings. I’m not sure yet.”

“You can’t!” Adrien insisted, “She’s my partner. I’ll take the Peacock miraculous.”

His father adopted a slightly soft expression. “You are allergic to feathers. Fiorri caused quite the panic when you were a baby. You couldn’t wield the miraculous without going into anaphylactic shock.”

The kwami frowned, but nodded, “It’s for the best. We don’t know what that woman is capable of.”

Gabriel exhaled, and his eyes bore into the boy. For a second, Adrien saw a facet of his father he had never before witnessed. It was detachment. 

You could always tell that Gabriel cared, underneath the exterior surface he had created, but in this moment, the man was absolutely numb.

The man quickly switched back to anger and ruthless determination.

“Contact Ladybug. Now. Contact Alya Césaire. Contact that girl who helped with Evillustrator. Contact someone.”

 

 XXX

 

_“Haven’t you figured out that it’s an endless maze? You’re not getting out until the akuma is defeated.”_

The words echoed through her mind, racing back to the first memory of Hawkmoth and her, in the hedge maze.

Nathalie had to operate under the idea that it was all fake.

And yet, the memory of Gabriel seeing ‘Adele Agreste’ for the first time in however many years would be tattooed across her memory until the day she died.

 _Correction,_ she had to operate under the idea that none of this was her world. That wasn’t her Gabriel, that wasn’t her Adrien, her anything.

Ms. Heartless could easily detach herself. She had done it a thousand times, in a thousand different situations, this was no different.

She dropped the jewelry on her nightstand and de-transformed, “Todda, we’re trapped inside an akuma, aren’t we?”

“Yeah.” Todda replied, “Well, you are. Other people are, in their own realities, but they’re separate.”

“Separate?”

The kwami tilted its head to the side. “Oh. Your meeting with Hawkmoth happened, and the rest of the city fell into an entirely separate reality. Then your ass punched Hawkmoth, and he brought you outside of his magical shield and you fell under the spell, separating yourself from everyone else, which explains why you’re the only one who notices when the universe falls apart.”

Nathalie frowned, “That’s an obnoxious amount of world-building.”

Todda nodded. “You’ll know its real when I’m not there, okay?”

“I’ll never accept you after this is over.”  She told the kwami, “But—I guess you won’t know that in the real world.”

“I won’t. I understand completely, however.” The kwami answered. “Still. You have two out of three. That’s not bad. All you need is Ladybug.”

Nathalie nodded. “She should have a patrol eventually.”

Todda landed by the butterfly brooch. “There are other options.”

 

XXX 

 

Ladybug was going to have several words with her partner whenever he showed up.

Several.

Maybe several curse words as well.

Two lucky charms later, several overturned cars, and Chat Noir hadn’t showed up to help her defeat Cerberush, the three-headed dog akuma with a road rage problem.

Her earrings were beeping, and she knew she was running short on time. Ladybug ran between the legs of the large dog, ducking into the alley and turning several corners. Thankfully, the canine had to do some careful maneuvering to fully turn around in the narrow streets of Paris, which gave her plenty of time to get out of the way of one supervillian’s masterplan.

And right into the hands of another. Literally.

Thankfully, Marinette hadn’t de-transformed, and she turned and stared straight into the eyes of a blue-clad superhero in a large, feathered cape.

“LADYBUG.” A voice called down to her, dropping down from several fire escapes and landing in a resounding huff next to the peacock-themed man. It was Adrien.

Her eye’s widened as a flush fell over the back of her neck. “A-Adrien! What are you doing? It’s not safe.”

She watched the blonde model struggle to come up with an adequate answer when the older man standing next to him groaned, and mussed the boy’s hair up. The boy looked more ‘Chat Noir’ after that. “He’s Chat Noir. Can we move on?”

Ladybug, shocked, said nothing, Adrien blinked, and then looked up at the man, “You promised.”

The man frowned, “Me, the liar? Shocking. Anyway,” he turned back to Ladybug, “I’m sure this is very strange. We need to talk.”

Ladybug glared at him, “We are not doing anything. There’s an _akuma._ Adrien-Chat-whatever, we’ll deal with it later, I need you to tap in.”

The boy blanched, and stammered,“My miraculous was stolen.”

“Hawkmoth _has_ your miraculous?!”

“No. His was stolen as well.” Adrien panicked, “It was a Fox miraculous user!”

Marinette’s jaw about dropped to the floor, and then she picked herself back up, dreading the beeping sound, “Well, how do you know it wasn’t Hawkmoth?”

She looked between the two standing in front of her, her suspicions gnawing at her. When Adrien glanced at the taller figure, she let out a growl. “Okay, then. I’m about to lose my transformation. I have to go.” Ladybug managed to glare at the older man, “Get out of my way.”

“I’ll handle the akuma.”

“I’m sure you will.” Marinette huffed, passing him.

Adrien grabbed her shoulder as she passed them, his hand pressing into her, “Don’t trust anyone.”

Ladybug glared at the boy she loved, and placed a hand on her yo-yo, “What about you? What about Hawkmoth? What the hell has possessed you to trust him?”

“It’s. Complicated.” Peacock replied, his temper getting the best of him.

“I’m afraid it’s about to be a bit more complicated,” Added a smooth voice behind them, landing in from above. The woman, in a fox-clad outfit, grimaced, “Is that what I’m doing now? Lame one-liners?”

The akuma had disappeared, and Volpina had arrived to greet The Triumvirate.

* * *

 

 

 

# Part 6

_Summary: The confrontation with Volpina, The Triumvirate, 900 words, next update coming soon._

Gabriel unsheathed the fan that was strapped to his back, enlarged it by sheer willpower (not unlike Chat’s baton), and shielded Ladybug as her transformation gave out. Adrien moved next to her, throwing a sweater over her blazer and shirt, and burying her face into his chest. Simultaneously, Adrien was pulling out his phone, texting the Agreste driver.

She had never been so terrified in her life. The words, Adrien’s words, “It will be fine,” would stay with her for the rest of her days.

“What do you want now?” He called to the orange-clad woman, taking in her red hair, her suit, and her contrast-blue eyes and red lip. The black thigh highs were asking for trouble, even.

Volpina tilted her head to the side, and smiled, revealing sharp canines. “That’s a simple question. Hand over her earrings.”

Gabriel grimaced, and glanced down to the shaking girl behind his fan. He would have to protect her identity. “That’s not going to happen.”

She took a small step forward and frowned, “Well, I wonder, isn’t there something you _want_ , Hawkmoth? Something you want to badly that you’re willing to fight tooth and nail for her and the boy’s miraculous?”

He sweltered under the implication, “I want my son’s safety more than I want—”

“You’re lying.” Volpina cut him off. “You want your wife at your side.”

“Don’t listen to her.” Adrien told his father, his resolve weakening at the thought.

Volpina frowned, looking genuinely remorseful. “Stay out of this, boy. I will break your heart, otherwise. You know I can.”

Adrien was about to fire something back when his father cut in, “Leave him out of this. He is a child.” The man spared a glance over his shoulder to the car that was waiting, “Our ride is here, sorry to cut this short, but that’s how it goes.”

The woman assessed the three of them. The boy, biting back his fear, holding his partner to his chest. The girl, trembling behind the fan that did little to conceal her, but enough to evade Volpina. The man, stuck between an incredible dilemma, between protecting the children he had fought tooth-and-nail to destroy, and the prospect of finally finding his wife again.

She nodded, and gave them a short bow, “Of course, we should do this again sometime.”

“Obviously.” Gabriel answered.

“It’s a date, then.” She replied, turning down an alley and seeming to disappear.

The man sighed, and let go of his transformation. “That was…surprising.”

The girl retreated from the boy’s side, her face in a pained expression. It was Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and she blanched when she saw Gabriel Agreste, staring down at her. Her expression turned cold, “I suppose we all would’ve figured out each other’s identities.”

“I’m sure it’s disappointing.” He added, glancing over to the car, “We should take our exit, however.”

Gabriel paid no mind to the discussion that occurred between Adrien and Marinette. It was something along the lines of “I can’t believe it’s you!” and “We’re idiots. We’ve been circling each other for _so long_!”

He didn’t understand how they could focus on such mundane topics when there was a criminal mastermind around Paris, but they had probably mastered deflecting a year or two ago.

When they got into the limo, he called Nathalie.

“I’m sorry,” He told the woman, “I know you called in and said you were sick, but I need you to do something.”

Of course, she had probably considered what ‘Hawkmoth’ had put her through to be traumatic, and had taken the next day off. That made sense. She was probably scrubbing her skin raw, or something equally cleansing.

“Whatever you need, sir.” Nathalie answered.

“Clear my schedule until further notice.” He told her, “Make sure the company is taken care of. Tell them that I need to spend time with my son.”

“I—”

“You’ve seen me do it for fifteen years, Nathalie.” He went on, “I expect that you won’t disappoint, if anything, you’ll excel. Your salary will reflect this, after I make a call to HR.”

There was silence on the end, and then she spoke, “Of course, sir, whatever you need, give my best to Adrien.”

Then she hung up. It was rather abrupt, and unlike her. The woman was pre-disposed to panicking, but in that instance, she kept a cool head.

Gabriel grimaced at his phone, before returning it into his pocket. At this point, they were in the main foyer of the mansion, and the children were eyeing him. He turned to them, “Do either of you have a pen on you?”

Marinette fished one out of her purse, and he caught a glimpse of a seething red kwami. She handed it to him, and he removed his cufflinks, and pulled down his sleeve. “We’re going to need a system,” Gabriel informed them, writing his initials on the inside of his wrist in chunky letters, “We need to be able to prove to each other that we’re not illusions.”

“I, for example, would never draw on my skin.” He added, pulling his sleeve back into place, “We can’t let Volpina catch us off guard.”

He tossed the pen back to the girl, who grimaced and glanced back at him. “Do you have a seam ripper?” She inquired, peeling away her blazer. “I draw on my hands constantly.”

After ripping part of the lining of her jacket near the center front, they both looked to Adrien, who had momentarily disappeared. He pulled at his jeans, revealing mismatched socks that went to his mid-calves. “Easy enough.”

“You don’t mismatch your socks?” Marinette asked. “Ever?”

“You do?”

“Yes? That’s a perfectly normal thing to do!”

Adrien opened his mouth to disagree, and then closed it, realizing that there was very few ‘normal’ things about his life. “We need to stop Volpina.”  

* * *

 

 

# Part 7

_Summary: The Seraph_

 

“I don’t mean to bother you, sir.” She peaked into his home office the next morning, closing the door behind her when he beckoned her in. “HR, PR, and Legal needs your signature on a few things before I can temporarily replace you.”

This was true. Sadly, she had to keep up the pretense so that her boss wouldn’t suspect anything and warn Ladybug in advance. The man had also disabled all of the cameras around his house and erased a majority of the footage, which wasn’t helpful.

He exhaled and stood at his desk, strolling towards her. “Nathalie, there’s something we need to discuss.”

The woman didn’t move when he was within a short distance from her. He reached out, brushing her shoulder. Gabriel gripped the fabric of her sleeve for a moment, pretending to inspect the stitching. “You’re real.” He breathed out a sigh of relief, his expression almost warm. “With that illusionist running around, you can never be too sure.”

She could appreciate the irony of the situation. The manifestation of Gabriel Agreste sweating over what was real and what wasn’t. She handed him the papers, “Is that why you’re taking a leave of absence, sir? Are you afraid of ghosts?”

He grimaced, “That woman stole my son’s black cat miraculous, and is trying to steal my peacock miraculous, on that note.”

The man was sticking as close to the truth as possible, but Nathalie still had to pretend to appear shocked. He was still magically empathetic. “You’re kidding— _You? Adrien?_ ”

Gabriel nodded, adding quickly, “And Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

That was it.

Nathalie kept her emotions in check. Her boss had said her name in passing, so quickly that she might’ve missed it if she hadn’t been paying enough attention. Maybe he didn’t register the slip.

“Nathalie.” His voice was soft, jarring her out of the mental cartwheels she was currently performing.

She swallowed, “I’m surprised, sir. It’s a lot to take in.”

“It’s nothing you can’t handle.” He replied, “I wouldn’t tell you if I didn’t trust you, and if you weren’t at risk by association.”

“Thank you, sir.”

 

XXX

 

Her eyes scanned the skyline for a moment, before falling a back onto the bakery where the girl lived. She was surprised, that she could spot it all the way from her apartment windows. How many times had Nathalie missed seeing the girl take off from the roof? Todda sat on her shoulder, “What are you going to do, now?”

Nathalie exhaled, “I could wait for the next reiteration, Todda, and get Adrien and Marinette’s miraculous in one fell swoop. On the other hand, I can go after it now.”

The kwami tilted her head to the side, “Are you going to wait that long?”

“No.”

 

XXX

 

“YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!” Adrien shouted into his phone. The boy sounded like he was running. “AN AKUMA HAS MARINETTE.”

Gabriel was in an alley, glancing at the akuma. “I know. I’m working on it. Volpina won’t notice me if I’m not transformed.”

“It can’t be coincidence!”

His eyes widened, “Fiorri, feathers out!” and stepped into the street, searching for his son. “Adrien—it’s impolite to shout.”

The boy turned back, staring at his father. The streets had already cleared—Paris had mastered the art of evacuation—but they weren’t alone. That blogger and Nino Lahiffe were close by.

Blanching, Adrien dragged his father by the wrist, “How did this happen? Did you tell anyone about Mari?”

“It could easily be a coincidence, Adrien, calm down.” He answered, feeling a sense of dread fill him from the pit of his stomach. There was _one_ person he had told.

It was a race to Nathalie’s apartment, and he left Adrien behind. There was no way Gabriel could give the boy a third heartbreak in his lifetime.

Gabriel had to double check where it was, but one he spotted the roof, he didn’t have to use the map on his fan.

Marinette was tied to a utility pole, unconscious, and Nathalie was placing the ring on her finger. Peacock landed across the roof from her.

There was a sudden feeling, of his heart shattering into infinite pieces, but he couldn’t explain why, as though it were a pain from a previous life.

“Nathalie!” He called out to her, “Why?”

He reached for his fan, but her yo-yo sprang out, catching his hand, and the string wrapped around his torso, easily immobilizing him. “Don’t.” She told him, “I don’t want to fight you, Gabriel.”

She took a step towards him, the red spots moving and changing across her skin. “None of this is real. You aren’t real, Gabriel. I’ve relived the same months over an over. It’s an akuma.”

“No.” He shook his head, “I’m real! Nathalie, please—don’t destroy the universe.”

“ _Think._ ” She begged him, moving closer to him, “If this is all in my head, you should remember.”

“You’re insane.” Gabriel answered, doubt nagging at his conscious.

Nathalie grimaced, tightening the yo-yo as she strode towards him. In an instant, her hands brushed his brooch, and he lost his transformation, standing there in his crema suit.

“Plagg.”

The kwami landed on her shoulder, passive.

Gabriel’s expression grew pained. “Nathalie—please, I’ll help you. Something’s wrong, we’ll get you the h-help you need.”

She shook her head, “Claws out.”

Her ladybug’s suit morphed, growing into a red and purple, goddess-like combination. She was everything and nothing, and her eyes reflected the entire universe.

Then, the world started to fall apart. It started at the edge of the horizon, and then, Gabriel was struck with every memory of every previous iteration.

He had spent a lifetime with her, circling her, loving her, and she remembered it all. Nathalie had to witness every remake, and they drifted further and further apart every time.

By the time he recovered from the revelation, the edge of the world was dissolving into black butterflies, and he was disintegrated with them. His feet were gone, and then his legs.

“I know I’m not real.” He breathed, “But at least—”

He didn’t have to go on for her to steal one last kiss, and blow him away.

 

* * *

 

# Epilogue

 

Nathalie gasped for air, clutching the sheets of her bed to her chest. She looked around the room, trying to get a bearing. “Todda?” She called out, because if she was there, it would mean that she was still dreaming.

Her apartment was covered, overtaken by treacherous ivy, honeysuckle, and vines. It crackled through the floorboards, covered the walls, and threatened to wrap her around the bed. The air was sticky with humidity and it smelled of forest.

She ran out of her room, the sheets wrapped around her like a pseudo-chiton, and her eyes locked onto Hawkmoth’s, catching his face in an expression of rage.

Magic was oozing off her, reaching the vines, making them disappear, and remove the damage. She was her own miraculous cure. She had defeated the akuma.

Nathalie was sure that he was saying something to her, but she ran him, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face into his chest as tears sprang to her eyes.

Around them, the city was restoring itself, and two teenaged-superheroes were waking up from very weird, coinciding dreams.

Hawkmoth’s hands balled into fists, his entire body shaking in fury, fighting how he was frozen. He, in a very ‘Gabriel Agreste’ way, focused on the one thing that didn’t matter. “You mentioned a Todda?”

“I lived an entire lifetime.” She forced her eyes open, staring up into his, “Multiple, actually, and—I knew it wasn’t real because every time the fox kwami was there.”

He tried to pull away from her, and try to understand her expression, but her breath hitched, and he let her hold onto him. Nathalie would fall apart if he let go. “Every time I held onto you,” She whispered, “The world disintegrated.”

Letting a slightly annoyed huff out, “I suppose I won’t go anywhere, if that’s what you’d like.”

“I’m sorry for trying to punch you.” She told him, “ _Multiple times._ ”

His response was automatic, and tickled with amusement, “I’m sorry for—”

Gabriel stopped himself, letting his transformation drop. His shoulders dropped, and he winced, “I could apologize for a thousand things, Nathalie. I never intended on hurting you. I’d rather not do it ever again, but I can’t make promises I know I can’t keep.”

She inhaled, and looked out, over the Paris skyline. “It’s—It’s understandable.”

The man cleared his throat, placing his hands in his pockets, to prevent himself from fidgeting, “I’m sure it’s not fair to suggest another do-over. You were asleep for about a half hour—you probably built _years_ of feelings and emotions but I do find you to be incred—”

“Yes.”

He looked up at her, shock crossing his expression, “ _Yes?_ ”

“Yes, Gabriel.” Nathalie told him, “I have gone through hell-and-back because of you. You at least owe me dinner. We can handle the messiness of feelings and drama and plot later, okay?”

A soft smile grew at the corner of his lips, “Alright, it’s a date.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check my tumblr, gabriel-fucking-agreste, for nonsense about these damn characters


	7. Psyche Epilogue, Parts 1-3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I thought this fic was over and dead but here I am, under and alive. Enjoy the epilogue!

# Part One

 

She could no longer sleep alone. That was to be expected. So used to his weight on her mattress, Nathalie realized that she was heavily relying on coffee nowadays.

 Nothing a new mattress couldn’t fix, right?

 And entirely new furniture, for the matter. Hell, new flooring, even. Nathalie wasn’t without the cash to spend. Anything to help cope with the loneliness. If she didn’t work so much, Nathalie would’ve adopted a cat.

 She sat in her apartment, watching the day’s akuma rampage through the city.

 Nathalie did not ask for his miraculous. Hell, she didn’t follow through with him on that date.

 He asked her what she wanted. Gabriel must’ve known, to some extent, what she’d gone through, as he had grown softer with her. Fearful that she would break, he had asked her what she wanted to do.

 In the end, Nathalie asked to be left alone. He obliged, and six months later, they were still skirting around the issue, re-scheduling appointments, not making eye contact, playing dumb when Adrien asked about their strange behavior.

 She was only home because Gabriel had sent her home. The akuma attack occurred shortly after she arrived to her unfamiliar apartment.

 It’s not that she _fainted_ at work today. Fainted is a strong word. Nathalie’s vision began to black out, and she felt the blood drain from her face. You could claim vertigo, but she wasn’t pre-disposed to it. The woman had been standing by Gabriel for several hours, and everything had been fine.

 Then she saw one of his white butterflies.

 Sometimes they escaped from the atrium on the top floor of the mansion. In the past, it had been a no big deal, a memory of the butterfly-keeping hobby Mr and Mrs. Agreste shared. A miniscule ecosystem in the house that she didn’t have to micromanage. 

 She had not noticed it at first. The white butterfly might’ve been missed completely if Gabriel hadn’t faltered so severely. He stared, he fumbled over words, he jolted towards the thing, and then Nathalie looked. Its wings seemed electric against the black wallpaper.

 He sensed her disappear, slip back into that reality. Gabriel didn’t bother hiding his ability as an empath. She looked at the wall, watching him disintegrate into a thousand butterflies all over again, begging herself to keep it together.

 When she pulled back to reality, she resumed slowly. “A-As I was saying, the marketing department needs-”

 "Nathalie.“ He interrupted, turning to her. "Go home for the day. You look like you’re about to collapse.”

 Her voice hardened, trying to keep in the tired rage that seeped out of her. “I feel fine, sir.”

 Glaring at her, he clicked his tongue. “Great. Take the rest of the day off.”

 Now, she sat on her sofa, looking out the windows, allowing herself to fall to pieces. Tomorrow, she would start over again.

 In the background, she played soft jazz on a record player, tapping the rhythm against her knees. In her hands, she held a glass of red wine, letting herself get gradually saturated.

 And then, Hawkmoth appeared in front of her. She screeched, dropping her (very much refilled) glass of wine on the carpet.

 "YOU. CAN. TELEPORT.“

 He raised an eyebrow at her, adjusting his cufflinks. "I thought you knew.”

 She exhaled, loudly, her hand clutching at the fabric over her heart. Somewhere in the distance, she saw Ladybug land on her balcony, and slip down the trap door to feed her kwami.

  _Don’t think about Ladybug._

 Hawkmoth had started to speak. Nathalie was not listening.

 "I’m sorry, I didn’t catch anything you just said.“ She turned back to him, her mouth formed into a thin line. "It makes no difference, however. I’m not interested in whatever it is you have to say.”

 His eyes were fiery. “Nathalie-”

 "I’m the most well-connected woman in Paris.“ She reminded him. "I can make two phone calls, and Ladybug and Chat Noir will be here within the half-hour.”

 "I-“

 "I don’t care.” She didn’t bother smothering her feelings

 He winced, “You’re-”

 "Gabriel.” She stood up to him, ignoring the space between them. Nathalie jabbed him in the chest. “I. Do. Not. Care. Find someone else to both-”

 "I CAN’T WATCH YOU DESTROY YOURSELF.“ He bellowed, and she stepped back, unused to his rage.

 Hawkmoth froze, and then let out a groan. He patted his brooch, de-transforming quickly. Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose, and let out a trembling sigh.

 "I’m sorry.” He said through gritted teeth. “You haven’t eaten today. You need to eat.”

 She said nothing. But he was an empath, it didn’t matter. Perfectly aware of her apprehension, Gabriel walked around her, heading into her kitchen.

 "For god’s sake, Nathalie.“ He exclaimed upon opening her fridge. "I know you don’t have the time to grocery shop, but you definitely don’t have the time to-”

 "The wine is specially delivered.“ She replied, sitting on the stools at the counter, watching him go through her pantry, rolling his eyes over the canned vegetables and dried fruit. "I deliberately redecorated, so I don’t appreciate you coming here and making new memories in my space.

 "How tragic.” He replied, “Almost like your refusal to quit, and seeing me everyday. My complete sympathy, Nathalie Sancoeur.”

 Her nose twitched. He was smirking slightly, testing the waters. The man could drown for all she cared.

 He pulled out his phone. “How about delivery? Any qualms against Thai food?” The man noticed her scowl. “Oh, did you want something else?”

 "I’m not hungry.“ She assured him. “I’m fine. You can go.”

 “I wouldn’t come over here and bother you if you were —” He stopped himself, realizing that she was gone for a moment. Gabriel sucked in a breath. After a minute, he spoke again. “I thought you’d be fine if I gave you time. I was wrong in that assumption.”

 Nathalie inhaled, “Yes, sorry I’m not recovering based on your schedule, sir. Blame everything between the two of us on me, please.”

 “That’s not what I meant.” He told her, “Nothing about you has changed between six months ago and now. You _need_ to talk to someone, I don’t know if that’s going to be me, or a therapist, or someone, but you need to stop letting this fester.”

 “I—”

 “I’m perfectly aware of my own hypocrisy.” He snapped. “See someone.”

 Drumming her finger’s against the counter, her eyes followed the veins of the marble beneath her. “You need to leave the country, first.”

 His eyebrows knit together in a confused line. “That’s not fair.”

 “I can’t _trust_ you.” She reminded him, “I can’t, and I won’t see anyone unless I know for certain that you won’t invade my privacy.”

 “I don’t invade your privacy more than I invade anyone else’s.” He reminded her, “I can’t _stop_ being an empath. I’ll never stop.”

 She squinted, “You invited yourself into my apartment, Gabriel.” Nathalie pulled out her phone, beginning to type, “Pick a country. I’ll make the arrangements.”

* * *

 

 

# Part Two

 

She watched him board the private jet at four in the morning, from the boarding gate. She kept checking the plane’s location, and when it landed, Gabriel sent her a picture of the New York City Skyline, with him in the center of it all, glaring at the camera.

He was out of the country. She was sure of it. She turned off her cellphone, and left her tablet at home.

Finding the aura healing parlor was easy. Nathalie had lived in Paris her entire life. Capturing the city in her dreamscape was either the work of a well-designed akuma or her impeccable memory.

She walked through the front door, a soft bell announcing her arrival to Fu, who sat at a table.

“Ms. Sancoeur.” He murmured. “What can I do for you?”

Her nose twitched. She clasped her hands behind her back. “You know who I am?”

“Your reputation precedes you.” He gave her a mischievous wink. “Though, if you’re coming to see me, you must already know who I am.”

The man stood, buttoning the top button of his Hawaiian shirt. “I’ll give you an aura reading, free of charge.”

She twisted the watch around her bracelet. “Thank you.”

After lighting several candles, he had her sit at a small table, perhaps the size of a chess board. Fu drew a rune in the center, as well as several Chinese characters she could not read. He looked up at her, examining the woman for a moment. Then, he exited.

Fu quickly returned with a small, black box that she immediately recognized.

Keeping a neutral expression, Nathalie watched as he placed the fox miraculous in the center of the symbols. Then, he took out a jar of salt, and began to draw a generous circle around her.

“It’s imperative that you don’t leave the circle, Miss Sancoeur.” He informed her.   
  
She nodded. And when he finished the circle, he began to blow out the candles.

The last candle was snuffed out, and suddenly, the sigil and miraculous burst into a technicolor flame.

Nathalie could not discern the exact color. For a moment, the fire was blood red, the next, a bright orange, and after that, random flashes of purple.

The fire crackled and popped and the woman looked up to see the shadows bouncing off of Fu’s expression. He studied the fire for a moment more, and then met her eyes.

“How many colors do you see?”

“Three.”

He nodded. “You’re being pulled in several directions. Three separate, strong flames in your heart.” Fu leaned forward. “They’re recognizable to you?”

She leaned back slightly. “I suppose.”

Fu hummed. “I believe I recognize them as well.”

“You’ve read his aura before?”

“I read auras like he reads emotions. It’s written all over you.” He answered. “This is a manifestation so that you can see it.”

“And the orange?”

“You’re compatibility with the Fox Miraculous is no secret.” Fu chuckled. “Though your aura reads as though you’ve worn it before.”

“The Sleeping Beauty akuma, sir.”

The man leaned back in his seat, and his fingers wove together. “That was quite the mystery, Miss. Sancoeur. I didn’t suspect that it was you who purified that akuma.”

After breaking the salt circle, the two retired to Fu’s kitchen for tea.

He exhaled. “I suppose I can’t offer you the Fox miraculous.”

“I believe Fox miraculous users always hesitate when taking the necklace.” Nathalie’s voice was light. “I would seriously doubt reality if you gave me the Fox miraculous.”

“It must’ve been very real.” He placed his hand over her’s. “Love does not make you weak, Nathalie. Despite your name, you have a lot of heart to give. Embrace it.”

She shuddered, and Fu’s eyes widened. Blanching she looked away.

“I see.” He remarked. “It doesn’t show on your face, but Gabriel can feel it.”

“And you can too. Great.”

The man stood, searching through his pantry. “Don’t beat yourself up. There’s a quick solution, for now.”

He pulled out a small jar of raisins, and popped open the lid. Fu withdrew a small, silver chain necklace with a butterfly bauble attached to it. “Heartbreak takes time. This necklace will deflect his empathetic powers. You can mourn knowing that he will not pry.”

The man placed the necklace in her palm, and held her hands for a moment.

“Sir?”

“The moment you want the Fox miraculous to take him down, it’s yours.”

She felt her heart stop for a moment, and then freeze. “If Chat Noir gets too close to finding out the truth, let me know, okay?”

“Of course.”

 

 XXX

 

Nathalie woke up to a pounding on her bedroom door, and she sprang up, tossing her quilt around her as Hawkmoth burst through the doorframe, looking around the room wildly.

In an instant, his arms were clasped around her shoulder’s, gripping her tightly. His eyes were frantically staring at her, and she was too frozen to move out of his grasp.

His shoulder’s dropped and he turned away, realizing that the woman was stark naked, holding the sheet to her breasts for dear life.

“WHAT THE HELL, GABRIEL?”

She heard his voice crack slightly, “I couldn’t sense you, as soon as I got back,” he admitted, “And you weren’t answering your phone and I…”

Nathalie leaned against the wall, feeling her shoulder blades push into the wallpaper. Her hand reached up to grip the necklace charm, the other hand straining the fabric across her chest. “Gabe, I’m fine.” Her voice was soft.

The man sat on the edge of the bed, losing his transformation. He raked his hands across his face, displacing his glasses. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m sorry. I wasn’t being rational.”

_“Irrational.”_

“Yes. Irrational.” He answered, “It’s not like—I don’t. I don’t feel that way about you.”

She walked around to face him, standing in front of the man. “I saw Master Fu.”

“I figured.” He commented. “That necklace—don’t let it fall into the wrong hands. It’s not that the necklace inherently but the magic used to cast that spell that could be dangerous in the wrong hand.”

At least now, he couldn’t sense her desire. Gabriel looked up at her, sitting on her bed, in her bedroom, trying to place her. “I can’t read you at all.” He exhaled, sounding sort of dazzled.

Nathalie fell back, against her dresser, but he reached out for her hand, stopping her slightly. She felt him jolt at the touch, surprising himself by the impulse. She withdrew her hand, not wanting to—well, obviously _wanting—_ not wishing to complicate their relationship further.

“You should go, sir.”

He looked terrible, like he wanted to stay, but she crossed her arms, and looked out her window. “Nathalie,” His voice was soft, “I could spend the night, if you needed me to.”

“I don’t need you too.”

He stood, suddenly towering over her. “Do you want me to stay?” His voice had taken on that devilish tone. The Hawkmoth tone. “I’m relishing in the silence.”

She glared up at him, “That doesn’t mean that this still isn’t _painful,_ Gabriel.”

Nodding, he kissed her forehead, and inhaled her, “I know. But you can at least know there’s nothing about you right now that I can read, except what you show.”

Well, that was enticing. 

“So what do you want me to do?” She replied, vexed to the moon and back over his entire demeanor. How…How dare he come into her apartment and act like a teenaged boy, with that goofy smile on his face.

The man brought a hand up to the curve her jaw, and tilted her head back, slowly. The man only touched her here, giving her every chance to pull away, to stop his deliberate movements. Despite this, she wasn’t going to move, and wasn’t sure if Gabriel knew this or not. There were several Gabriel’s before him, after all, who knew _exactly_ what kind of effect they had on her.

Kissing him again wasn’t like the first time. As smooth as the man was, it took him a few seconds to adjust to her pout. He ran his tongue across her lower lip before pressing his forehead into hers, tilting his head down and smirking at her state of dress. It was torture. She didn’t want to stop kissing him.

“Show me.”

The challenge hung in the air for a second, as his words ripened the air, leaving a strange feeling in the room that she could not place. The woman pulled him onto the bed, putting her dreams to reality.

* * *

 

 

# Part 3

 

Nathalie frowned as she emerged from the shower. She had gracefully left to wash up, hoping that the man would be gone by the time she was finished, like a ship—a _stupid, not attractive, impossible_ ship—in the night.

No. Gabriel was happily snoring, his suit hung in her closet, his glasses were on her nightstand, his shoes by the door, and his phone in a charger. Like he lived there.

The woman grimaced, and mentally went through a string of curse words in four different languages before deciding to sleep on the couch. After grabbing several blankets, and a spare pillow, she landed on her sofa, and fell into a light sleep.

 

XXX

 

She didn’t dream anymore. Before Sleeping Beauty, Nathalie’s dreams were vivid and memorable. When she was younger, she kept dream journals, amazed at the constant themes of objects melting before her eyes, of flying houses, and suspended oceans that floated through the air like clouds. It was always strange to wake up after these dreams. Now, sleep was an unrelenting darkness, and she was thankful for it.

This was different. Her body registered being picked up, her feet dangling in the cold air of her apartment. Her nose picked up a faint smell of cologne. She was moving, someone was murmuring something to her, that was vaguely chiding.

“Gabriel.”

“I’m going to go, I’ll see you at the office.” He murmured, laying her down gently in, and pulling the covers to her chin. Her eyes had not opened, but he had not turned on any of the lights.

Her mouth moved before she could think any different, “Stay.” Then, her eyes, shot open, and the woman sat up, resting on elbows. “Don’t. That’s…I’m wide awake.”

Her boss was gathering his things, “I know, Nathalie.”

“I wasn’t thinking clearly.” She affirmed, “This can’t happen again.”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me.” The man answered, pulling his coat. “You have my number, if you need me.”

Nodding, she pulled the covers to her chin. “Thank you.”

“It’s okay to need me, Nathalie.” He placed a hand on her shoulder, brushing away stands of dark hair. After a moment passed, he breathed out a suggestion: “We can start over.”

“Gabriel…”

“I mean it.” His voice peppered with conviction, he asked, “What’s stopping you, Nat?”

She shivered, and turned away. “We’ll talk about it in the morning.”

The man clicked his tongue, but he clearly agreed, as she heard him transform into Hawkmoth, and teleport away.

 

XXX

 

When Nathalie’s alarm starting beeping the next morning, her mind didn’t catch up. She rolled over, hoping to find Gabriel’s arms on the other side. Alas, she was met with nothing. The woman, sighed, and pulled herself out of bed, and checked her messages.

Her morning passed without event. She took Adrien to school, reminding him of the photoshoot he had after classes, and returned to the offices.

She brought Gabriel his typical espresso, mentioned something about a few of the junior designers panicking over the afternoon’s presentation of the upcoming fall collection, and asked him if he would need anything else before then. The day was planned around the presentation. Gabriel just had to sit in his own office and prepare his pieces. Ideally, he wouldn’t do anything villainous.

“Yes,” He looked up at her, “We should talk.”

_Feign surprise._

_Raise your eyebrows. He won’t know you’re faking it._ Nathalie had never been more thankful for the necklace Fu gave her.

“About what, sir?”

“About—what do you mean about?” He tilted his head to the side, “You don’t remember this morning?”

_Just lie._

“I don’t.”

Gabriel smiled, “In that case, I wanted to make a proposition.”

Nathalie let out a huff. “And that would be?”

“Start over with me.” He offered. “Or, start with me. We should get dinner.”

Her eyebrows pushed together, “Gabriel.”

It was odd, when she said his name. She had known him for years, and he knew exactly what she meant with a single utterance of his name. The complete frustration in her voice was unmistakable, laced with disappointment and sorrow. Still, Gabriel Agreste went on.

“You’re making this more complicated than it has to be.” The man tilted his head to the side, his voice taking on a darker tone, “We both care about each other.”

“Gabriel—”

He crossed his arms, “Was what you went through so bad that we can’t pursue anything together?”

Her eyes landed on the portrait above Gabriel’s head for a second, but the man didn’t understand. He made some remark that his wife was not a part of the equation. That his wife didn’t matter. Her hands were behind her back, her nails digging into her wrist. Her toes curled in her heels.

She tried counting, one, two, three, exhale, one, two, three, inhale.

“Are you listening?” He chided, his voice verging on slight anger.

Nathalie fixated on him, and bit her lip, “So you want to know what happened?”

“YES!”

“What happened that prevents me from dating you now?”

“Obviously.”

She felt her soul leave her body. “I realized I was dreaming, and that I had to get out. I had the Fox miraculous, Gabriel, did you know that I’m highly compatible for it? It does not matter now, but the point is that I saw you look at your wife.”

The man paled his eyes widened, “What?”

Nathalie sighed, trying to sound unattached, “I had to take your miraculous. So I just changed myself into Adele. That’s…that’s a sight I won’t forget, Gabriel.”

His breath trembled, “N-Nathalie, that wasn’t real.”

Allowing her hands to fall to her side, she blinked rapidly for a second, “You know the magic better than I do, but I did have to steal two miraculous in order to break the akuma. That…that sounds pretty real to me, Gabriel. I’m not sure exactly but it was enough.”

“Well, that wasn’t me.”

“I was convinced, however. It took me several tries to get out of that hell.” She replied, turning on her heel, and heading for the door. “I have work to do, sir. So, if you’ll excuse me—”

“There’s nothing I could do, then.” He told her, “I’m—Nathalie if I could go back and change that entire day, I would.”

She pressed her lips together, but said nothing. It was best not to give him any ideas.

 

XXX

 

At least when Nathalie rejected Gabriel, he didn’t get himself akumatized over it. He went on with his life, going through the motions of running a fashion company, shooting her meaningful glances, clicking his tongue with her lack of response. He occasionally asked her how she was fairing (she wore the necklace non-stop), and she would reply with “I’m fine, thank you, sir,” and that always earned a glare. He set a good example compared to other broken-hearted men.

A month had passed and Nathalie was pressed against the brick of a tight alleyway, trying to avoid Heartbreaker, the current akuma. It was a junior designer who asked her out, and she had rejected him. Dating did not appeal to her in the slightest, and the arrogant man took it as a personal attack.

Did…Did Hawkmoth not _realize_ that the akuma would target her? Was Gabriel an idiot? She had not called him since racing out of the office and into the street. Her boss would not get the satisfaction of _rescuing_ her. Being the hero was overrated, after all.

“NATHALIE SANCOEUR!” The voice boomed throughout the city. “I WILL BREAK EVERY HEART IN THIS CITY TO FIX YOURS.”

Nathalie let out a scowl, and slipped further into the interconnecting alleys. _Well, Hawkmoth definitely knows now._

She was fairly close to the mansion, now that she was thinking about it. Let’s see, a left here, a right there, and she was staring at the gate of the Agreste house from Le Grand Paris. The famed security system would protect her.

Or so she thought.

She got as far as the inner walls of the mansion when Heartbreaker landed in front of her, somewhere in the distance, she could hear Chat Noir shouting for her to move.

Standing her ground, she squared his shoulders.

“I’m going to break your heart Nathalie, for breaking mine.” The man menaced.

Nathalie frowned, “I don’t have a heart to break, asshole.” Her hand balled into a fist, and she prepared herself as he aimed some kind of pen at her.

In the next instant, Hawkmoth teleported in front of her, and held a hand out, freezing the akuma in his place. “You don’t have a heart to break?” He chuckled, turning to her, “Are you kidding?”

Behind them, the butterfly was flying out of the man, and Gabriel was cleansing the akuma. She whirled towards him, punching him in the chest. He reeled at the contact, barreling to the side.

“WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, YOU JACKASS?” Her chest erupted, and she kicked him in the shin, causing him to tumble downwards, into the cement. “WHAT PART OF THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO YOU.”

“Hawkmoth.” Ladybug’s voice was cool, “It’s so good to finally meet you.”

Nathalie turned, her shock betraying her. She heard Hawkmoth stand and unsheathe the sword hidden in his cane. _Oh no, oh no, oh no._

“Ladybug, Chat Noir.” He smirked, “At last.”

She turned back, “Hawkmoth.”

He glared at her, “I have a goal, get out of my way.”

“Nathalie!” Chat Noir called to her, desperate, “You need to get inside.”

Swallowing, she turned back to the villain, “You need to go.”

Flashing a glare at her, he replied coolly, “You have no stake in this, ma’am. Go before I cut you down.”

Her frown deepened, and she grabbed the man by the lapels of his suit, and pulled her to him, “You. Have. To. Go. This is not up for negotiation.”

“Nath—”

“I WILL DESTROY YOUR LIFE.” She fired back, “ARE WE CLEAR? EVERYTH—”

And suddenly, she was magicked away into complete darkness, holding Hawkmoth by his suit, leaving behind a shell-shocked Ladybug and Chat Noir.

 


	8. Epilogue Part 4-5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The actual ending

# Part 4

Nathalie blinked, and tried to get a grasp of her environment. Everything was dark, and cold, but familiar. His hands were grasping her shoulders.

“Are you alright, Nat?” His thumbs ran in small circles. “I-”

She threw herself away from him, her face twisted with rage. Anger that he could not sense. She let out a huff, and forced herself to relax her face, “Was that wise? Sending an akuma after me? What the hell possessed you?”

Hawkmoth frowned, “I was just akumatizing him. I didn’t realize that it was you until it was too late. In case you couldn’t tell, I was trying to find you while that was happening.”

“YOU COULD’VE JUST CALLED!” She fired back, “You could’ve de-transformed, called me, verified my location, transformed, teleported near me, and then put me somewhere safe. Was that difficult? Was a six-step process too complicated for you?”

“You’re being unfair.” He pointed out. “I was-”

“What?” Her voice was light, like a knife in a silk sheath, “Trying to rescue me and be the hero? Do you realize that Chat Noir and Ladybug witnessed that entire ordeal? What is A-What are _they_ supposed to think about that? What if they think we’re somehow affiliated? What do I tell them, Hawkmoth?”

He exhaled, and de-transformed. Gabriel glared at her, and pulled out his phone, checking messages. “It wouldn’t surprise me if the children don’t tell anyone.“ He announced.

"They’ll tell the police, Gabriel.”

“They’re _children_. They think they can handle all of this themselves.” He smiled to himself, “I’m sure you could manage two teenage superheroes. Perhaps you’ve done it before?”

Nathalie sighed, and glanced around, looking for some sort of-was there no door? Wow, there was no door. Right, teleportation. “I can’t leave, can I?”

He wiped his glasses, “Not yet. I have to make an appearance at the mansion and be highly concerned.”

After transforming (Nooroo was very sympathetic), Gabriel disappeared. Nathalie made sure that her phone was turned off, and waited.

XXX

Gabriel was in his office when Ladybug and Chat Noir burst in. His hands were behind his back, clenched at the children. Previously, they had escorted his employee home, and they had most likely booked it back to the mansion.

The boy looked rather panicked. Ladybug sniffed, “Mr. Agreste, have you seen Ms. Sancoeur?”

Smiling, he shook his head. “No, I’m afraid not. I’ve tasked my entire security team on finding her.” He had in fact, done that. Gabriel had spent the past forty-five minutes panicking over her sudden predicament. “They’ve yet to turn anything up, unfortunately.”

The cat’s frown deepened, “Uh, sir, would you know of her being connected to Hawkmoth in any way?”

“Ah.” Gabriel inhaled, sucking in a breath, “I wouldn’t. If you’d like, there’s security footage of the front lawn, if you’d like to review-”

“YOU _SAW_ WHAT HAPPENED?”

Chat’s voice cut in. He was completely baffled.

Frowning slightly, Gabriel went on, “Yes, sir. From the window-”

“AND YOU DIDN’T HELP HER? WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?” The boy immediately blanched, “Uh, I mean, um, excuse me. I’m sorry, Mr. Agreste.”

“It’s best to leave the saving to the superheroes, isn’t it?” He ignored the child’s outburst. “Or, supervillians, in this case. I do have a son to think about.”

Ladybug cleared her throat, her earrings catching in the sunlight. “In that case, I’ll inform the authorities, and they can assist us on the case.”

Gabriel’s jaw dropped, and he recovered his expression quickly enough, but both teenagers looked shocked at his display of emotion. “I’m s-surprised, I’m sorry. I’ll have to request that you don’t involve the authorities.” His voice didn’t portray the absolute panic. “I-I would do anything to protect Nathalie Sancoeur.” He blinked rapidly, and swallowed hard, “That includes her reputation.”

The boy’s lips pursed, “And you think telling the police that she’s missing would ruin her reputation?”

He shot the boy a glare that made the cat draw his ears back. “Speaking from experience, her reputation will not be ruined over being simply missing.” He let the silence weigh down as the children understood his meaning. They both paled, and he went on. “Hawkmoth kidnapped her. The police and press will overanalyze the actions of an insane terrorist and assume that my assist-a personal friend of mine-is connected to him beyond being an innocent victim.”

Ladybug placed a hand over her heart and promised, “We’ll make sure that that’s not the case.”

She had so much _passion._ It made Gabriel’s migraine increasingly worse. He kept trying to read them, naturally, and their miraculous prevented it.

“You overestimate humanity.” He replied, “Please, if you both could wait. My security team will work on finding her as well. If her phone turns on, we will find her, I promise.”

That wasn’t enough for the boy. Children overestimated humanity, and yet, if they were raised a certain way, would always assume the worst. “Time isn’t on her time. He could kill her.”

Gabriel closed his eyes, and pinched the bridge of his nose, “That won’t happen, Chat Noir.”

“How do you know?” Ladybug pressed her lips into a thin line, “How are you so sure of her safety?”

The man rolled his eyes, “Hawkmoth showed up on my lawn, purified the akuma that was targetting her, and kidnapped her. For some reason, he’s placed some sort of value in her. The three of us can wait until that value becomes known before dragging Nathalie into the spotlight.”

“But—”

“Speculation and rumors will get you nowhere, miss.” He insisted. “I will not see Nathalie Sancoeur dragged through the press.”

Chat Noir was nodding as well. “We’re in agreement, sir.”

XXX

Adrien was twisting his ring around his finger. He had joined his father for dinner that night, and Gabriel had reassured him that Nathalie would be home soon.

It was a stark contrast between what he had told Chat Noir. The man who appeared before the boy now was cool, unconcerned, as usual. To Chat Noir, Gabriel was impassioned, hell, it could be argued that Gabriel Agreste _liked_ Nathalie Sancoeur.

After that, he had searched the whole city, as his father’s assistant wasn’t there to actually _check up_ on him. He had found nothing, and then, on a whim, he went to the balcony of her apartment. His claw easily picked the lock, and the door swung open.

“Ms. Sancoeur?” He called inside, peering into the bookish apartment. The carpet gave way to his boots as he glanced around, hoping to find a sign of her. He glanced down at the sofa, and exhaled. She had not returned.

Adrien was about to leave the apartment when he heard the lock turning. His eye’s widened, and in an instant, he was inside Nathalie’s bedroom, his back against a wall. He realized too late that he could’ve just left through the balcony door, which he had left wide open.

What was shocking, however, was that there were two people in the apartment.

“Did you leave your balcony door open?”

 _Father?_ The boy recognized his voice immediately. What was he doing there?

Nathalie, he could hear, was walking across the flat, and closing the door, and locking it. “No. That’s odd.”

“One of the children probably broke in, to look for clues.” He told her, “They’ve been at it for most of the evening.”

“I’m fairly used to miraculous users breaking into my apartment.” She replied, her voice cold.

Adrien had never heard her use that tone with him. Sure, he knew that she probably ‘had words’ with him over certain things. He had never been privy to their private conversations in the past.

Gabriel chuckled, and the boy heard fabric creasing, of him going to her. He could hear the smile in his tone, “Why are you being so harsh? I came through the front door this time.”

“You ruined my afternoon, Gabriel. You’re not getting points by going through the door.” She answered, her tone washing up onto slight warmth.

 _They’re flirting, oh my god, they’re flirting._ Adrien felt his mind turn a thousand stones over trying to understand what had changed between the two of them. Had he not noticed or were they that good at hiding it from him?

“Be reasonable.”

“Reasonable?” Her voice hitched up an octave, “Okay, Hawkmoth.”

And then, Adrien’s mouth went dry.

His father sniffed, “I don’t know what you’re referring to. I’ve always been reasonable as a supervillain.”

There it was. The boy’s fist went to his mouth, and he bit down on the leathery texture of his glove. He wanted to scream. He planted his feet in the ground.

_Just wait for Father to leave, then talk to Nathalie afterwards. There has to be some explanation._

“Did you hear something?” Gabriel murmured.

Chat’s eyes felt like they would burst out of their sockets. _No, no, no, no, no this can’t be happening, I’m so—_

“Probably the neighbors upstairs.” Nathalie replied, slowly. “Uh. Hey. I’ll see you at work tomorrow, okay? I’m tired.”

Gabriel swallowed, “You’re sure?”

He heard them kiss, feeling his heart sinking.

“Believe me, Gabriel, I’ve had enough of you today.”

There was a pause, Chat Noir wanted to gag. “That’s sad, I haven’t gotten my fill of you. I’m starved, Nath—”

“Then starve.” She told the boy’s father, “Seriously, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Soon, Gabriel was out of the apartment. There was a second, and Chat Noir let himself breathe out. 

“You can come out now, Adrien.”

 

* * *

 

# Part 5

 

For a second, Adrien was so still he could’ve been mistaken for a doll. Then, Nathalie was in the bedroom.

“Adrien.” She placed a hand on his shoulder, and that jolted him out of his solidarity.

He flinched away from her, and let his transformation go, “M-my…My father.” The words came out in a fractal, trailing off into an unimaginable infinity. The boy had broken.

She swallowed so hard he almost thought a marble had dropped. “I can explain everything.”

And so, the woman sat the boy down, gave him a cup of tea, and let out a heavy breath once he had gathered himself. “Do you remember Sleeping Beauty?”

Nodding, he looked up, and brought the cup to his dry lips. “I do.” He murmured.

“Well, I was the one who purified that akuma.”

As the boy was raised to be polite, he did not spit out his drink, but his eyes widened, and he had to force down a good amount of hot liquid. His tongue burnt. “It was you?”

Nathalie leaned back in her chair, “A lot happened, but, in that akuma I figured out everyone’s identities and it kept turning out to be a dream and—”

Her breath caught in her throat. She was in disbelief that she was finally revealing all of this to Adrien, of all people.

“Nathalie?”

“I’m _fine._ ” She held a hand up. “No one in Paris remembers those dreams. You’re all very lucky.”

“What happened?”

The woman’s shoulder’s straightened, “Every time I got a happy ending, the dream reset. I’m not sure why the akuma worked this way, but one dream lasted nine months and…you build a life, you know?”

“With my father.”

She gave him a slow nod. “Yes.”

The boy exhaled, “And you did that, knowing he was Hawkmoth?”

“He gave up his miraculous both times. And the third time, I realized none of it was real and stealing it from him wasn’t an issue.” Nathalie brushed away a stray piece of hair from her forehead. “I never intended to hurt you.”

“He loved you.”

“He did.”

“He still does!” Adrien looked up, everything dawning on him, “Nathalie, I— _please_ take his miraculous.”

That shocked the woman. Her hand went immediately to the necklace, hidden under her blouse. “What?” _No._

The boy sat back, “He won’t give it to you? I…”

Trailing off, Nathalie watched Adrien wallow in the news. It was concerning, how he deflected his feelings in favor of his mission as Chat Noir. The boy twisted the ring around his finger, and every sound seemed to distract him. He was nervous that Hawkmoth would return.

Adrien brought a knee to his chest. “Ladybug wants to put him in jail and I don’t think—I don’t want to lose my dad, Nathalie.”

She nodded. “I understand.”

“If you’ve fixed it before, could you fix it again?”

 

XXX

 

Despite fear of a happy ending, Nathalie found herself in her living room a week later, past midnight, wearing a tank top and trousers, her hands behind her neck. She unclasped the chain on the necklace, and placed it on the coffee table.

She sat down, texted Gabriel, and poured out two glasses of red wine.

He did not appear right away, as she had hoped. Instead, she had to let him into her building, and he knocked on her door soon afterwards.

The woman ushered him in, and gaped at the small bouquet of flowers in his hands.

“You said you wanted to talk over wine.” He murmured, “I figured—flowers, you know?”

Nathalie knew well enough. She took the flowers into the kitchen, and searched around for a vase, if only to delay the inevitable. Her rising and falling sense of dread, the knowledge that he knew exactly how she felt. He politely ignored her shaking, her short breath, her flitting eyes. Nathalie was losing her cool.

Finding a vase was calming, wiping away the dust, listening to the water fill the glass. She cut the flowers, and when everything was primped, she placed the setting on her kitchen table, and wordlessly joined him. He looked out over the skyline as he cupped his glass of wine, his silhouette glowing against the city lights.

She leaned her head on his shoulder, and that was relaxing. It was something she had done in the past, and she wanted to do again. Somehow, the feeling of his stiff suit, and his cologne, and just… _him_ , seemed to put her more at ease.

“Can I ask you a question?” He murmured, “I mean, unless you want to stand here in silence, but you did say we’d talk.”

Nathalie frowned, though the core of her was warming up, “Yes, what is it?”

Gabriel, well, she couldn’t see him smile, but he was smiling, “What are you afraid of?”

That earned him a meaningful silence as Nathalie pondered: What _was_ she afraid of? Was it the fear of a happy ending? Was it Gabriel, and Adrien, and the possibility of losing it all? Life had gone on and she was terrified to live and experience and yet, she had done that. Life had pushed her along, Gabriel had nudged at her until their situation could no longer be ignored.

She huffed. “I’m afraid that I’m going to lose everything again. I don’t want to lose you, or this, Gabriel.”

“You’re not going to _lose_ me.” He chided her, "you have an uncanny way of holding on to everything you love.”

That froze the man. He moved away from her, and cleared his throat.

Gabriel clicked his tongue, “I’m sorry—I shouldn’t—I haven’t been able to read you for so long that it’s hard _not_ to throw your feelings back at you. I know that’s no excuse but—”

“You care about me too, then.”

Again, the man’s jaw dropped, and she swore he forgot to breath as he stared at her. “Nathalie…” He breathed out her name. “I love you. I don’t want to hurt you. And I thought we’d talk about what happened today but it’s clear that that’s not the case. I mean, perhaps we will talk about that, but it’s not pressing.”

Nathalie let him trail off until he got to a stopping point. She replied, “Well, where do you want to go from here, if we love each other?”

His eyebrows raised. “What do _you_ want to do?”

“It’s not just about me.”

The man smirked, “Clearly, but I’ve been waiting a long time for this to happen between us. I’m not about to ruin things with what I want.”

It occurred to Nathalie that her boss had most likely harbored feelings for her long before Sleeping Beauty had ever occurred. Now, she could only wonder to their extent, and if she had truly won his heart or if she had had it all along.

 _Not now._ She crossed her arms, and Gabriel winced. Clearly, he had sensed her feelings of dread. “Your miraculous. That’s it.”

That did not shock him. In fact, what shocked him, was the second thing. “That’s it?” He echoed.

“Yes.”

“You don’t want more?” He scrutinized her as she came closer to him, undoing his scarf, and taking the brooch off of his vest. Gabriel did not protest this motion, instead, he protested her. The complete frustration emanated off the man, in one of the few moments where he showed his emotions.

Nathalie’s movements stuttered. “I want more.” She stated eventually, when the silence between them grew to heavy to bear.

“I could give you anything, and all you want is a magical brooch?”

She glanced away, “In my defense, the butterfly miraculous is limitless.” Clearly, he did not appreciate her sense of humor. “Let’s try this, okay? I’m not going to promise anything, but we can see if this works, okay?”

Gabriel placed his hands in his pockets, and she wondered if he was fidgeting under her gaze. “Do you want this to work?”

She didn’t have to nod, or reply. Gabriel knew exactly what she was feeling, even if those feelings felt small.

For the first time in a long, long time, Nathalie wanted things to work, and the world didn’t fall into pieces.

In fact, the world offered her another glass of wine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for all of your support. I promise that this is the actual ending to the fic.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: gabriel-fucking-agreste, check there for more recent updates under #hawknath, #foxhawk, and #psyche, and yell along with me


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